[m1ke]

Italy Under-20 defender Andrea Ranocchia is expected to find a Serie A club this summer and has asserted that his heart is set on joining Milan.

Ranocchia is currently plying his trade with Serie C outfit Arezzo, but is seen by many as one of Italy’s hottest defensive prospects.

The 20-year-old was expected to join Fiorentina in January, but the Viola’s failure to secure his signature could prove to be Milan’s gain.

“Fiorentina’s option to buy my rights ran out in January and nothing happened,” Ranocchia explained. “Therefore I am on stand-by, given that there is interest from other sides.

“If not Fiorentina, then I want to join another top-flight side where I would get a game. But if I could choose, I would go to Milan.

“However, I would stay at Arezzo if they climbed back to Serie B because I love wearing the Granata shirt.”

Milan will look to rejuvenate their ageing defence at the end of the campaign and Ranocchia may be one of their investments for the future.

(IMG:http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/serie_b_2007/risorse_calcio/foto_calciatori/arezzo/giocatori/ranocchia_and.jpg)

[m1ke]

I can't find much information on this guy - has anyone see him play? I found this though:

Gazzetta Print Italy’s 2014 World Cup Team

La Gazzetta dello Sport has printed the team that they believe could line-up for Italy at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The Azzurri currently have the most promising crop of youngsters coming through, possibly since the mid-1980s when the likes of Paolo Maldini, Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Mancini, Roberto Donadoni, Riccardo Ferri and Ciro Ferrara were all starting to make their mark.

The Gazzetta have attempted to select a team of players all born after 1986, and by these rules, in 2014, the on-loan Rimini goalkeeper Andrea Consigli will be between the sticks, protected by a back-four of Lazio’s Lorenzo De Silvestri, Arezzo’s Andrea Ranocchia, and the Juventus-owned duo of Domenico Criscito and Paolo De Ceglie.

In midfield will be the incredibly skilful Andrea Russotto of Treviso and Parma’s Daniele Dessena, with Siena’s Fernando Forestieri, Pisa’s Alessio Cerci and Inter’s Mario Balotelli supporting Milan teenage hero Alberto Paloschi.

On the bench there is also a multitude of talent with Juve-owned Sebastian Giovinco, Parma’s Luca Cigarini and Cagliari’s Robert Acquafresca all surprisingly overlooked for a starting place. Villarreal's Giuseppe Rossi was not chosen at all.

The rest of the subs bench would be made up by: Alfonso (1988, Venezia); Bastrini (1987, Modena), Bolzoni (1989, Inter), Giovinco, Di Gennaro (1988, Bologna), Paonessa (1987, Avellino).

[Jack Sparrow]

Juve owns most of the youngsters I see....F@ck.. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[armiss]

We must eat as much as possible young generation of italy , Andrea Ranocchia maybe as our new furure star , Kaka and Pato were two very good examples , young blood dont need that much money , so if we buy and use many of them it will not damage pocket like the ones that happened with Gilardino !

[redbabies]

as soon as a young player is linked with us we all seem to like him (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

no, dont even think that this is as a consequence of our old-squad (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (well it is)

We haven't bought a young defender for a looong time (a defender who has made it to the first team I mean)

This post has been edited by redbabies: Mar 26 2008, 02:31 PM

[armiss]

i dont like Arsenal strategy , i more prefer Old squad but with a good refresh every 2 or 3 years along that which we did with Pato and Kaka
( bringing young genius blood )


i think we were a bit slow on market , we could change some of olds like Cafu and Serginho sooner but i dont understand Galliani sensitivity about money !

This post has been edited by armisse: Mar 26 2008, 03:59 PM

[dst]

Don't know him. Get him! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Juve owns most of the youngsters I see....F@ck.. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

[whoarethepatriot...]

He is very highly rated, and i thought for for sure the Viola were gonna make a move for him

I have never seen him play, but he is one for the future. In the 2014 lineup i recognised alot of the players and these are some of Italy's finest youngsters

[Fillipo Simone]

If he's IT we should get him. If not,..pass. We have Palo, Pato, Yohann, Darmian, Grimi..enough youngsters. Maybe one more for the midfield but that would be enough. We don't wanna turn into a Wenger factory..

[maldini03]

I dont know too much about him but if he is going to win the 2014 WC might as well be a Milan player (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I also think that signing Cigarini and Dessena would be wise beause they are dynamic and are Italy's future (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[whoarethepatriot...]

I dont know too much about him but if he is going to win the 2014 WC might as well be a Milan player (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)   I also think that signing Cigarini and Dessena would be wise beause they are dynamic and are Italy's future (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Gattuso - De Rossi - Dessena
Pirlo - Aquilani/Montolivo - Cigarini

Dessena is not quite a Gattuso player, but he can play in that position with ease. He tends to play more on the right wing, but not so much he can be considered a winger

[dst]

I dont know too much about him but if he is going to win the 2014 WC might as well be a Milan player (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)   I also think that signing Cigarini and Dessena would be wise beause they are dynamic and are Italy's future (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I like the way you think.

[Devillito]

We don't wanna turn into a Wenger factory..

I'd prefer us turning into a Wenger factory rather than a retirement house or expired factory..

[Jack Sparrow]

Somehow Milan don't have the luxury of going 3-4 years on the pretext of building a team. So I'm really not a huge fan of Wenger for Milan.

I like what he does with Arsenal, but I'm not too emotionally attached to them, so I don't care.