5 most valuable Italy U-23 players - January 2022

#3 Sandro Tonali - €35M

Tonali has been phenomenal so far in the Serie A

The Brescia side in the last part of 2010s may not have achieved much, but it produced some talent for sure. Sandro Tonali became a household name due to his exploits with Brescia. Tonali was part of a weak side on paper, but it didn't hold him back.

At the start of the 2020-21 season, there were several suitors of Tonali from home and abroad. He decided to continue in Serie A with AC Milan and has continued to develop well. His ability to connect passes while being an able tackler has made him a standout among peers of a similar age. There are a lot of similarities between Tonali's growth curve and another Italian icon in the form of Andreas Pirlo.

Tonali has been one of AC Milan's best performers this season as the side pushes on for a potential title challenge. Tonali has carried out his duties with extreme precision, operating mostly as a defensive midfielder. He has even scored 2 goals and assisted 2 others as a bonus.

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#2 Alessandro Bastoni - €60M

Bastoni is already a star at 22

Alessandro Bastoni was a teenager when Inter Milan decided to spend big and acquire him from Atalanta. Many experts in the nation believe that Bastoni's abilities are unparalleled. Based on his performances until now, it can be claimed that those experts were not wrong.

Inter have a defensive rock in Milan Skriniar but to outdo him at times is no mean feat. At just 22 years old, Bastoni has already become a starter. Bastoni can tackle cleanly and showcase great ball-playing skills, a much-needed requisite of modern football.

Bastoni has been highly consistent in the 27 appearances so far. Inter are the favorites to win Serie A on the back of defensively solid performances. Bastoni has even chipped in the attack as a bonus, with 1 goal and 3 assists.

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#1 Gianluigi Donnarumma - €65M

Donnarumma is already a star at 22.

Gianluigi Donnarumma breaks onto the scene as a teenager for AC Milan and has never looked back. He quickly became number one at Milan as the world started taking notice of his performances. He succeeded Gianluigi Buffon to the Italian team and has amazed fans worldwide with his performances.

Donnarumma is extremely composed as a keeper and uses his reach to keep the ball out. He played a major role in Italy's success in the Euros and was even awarded the Yashin trophy in 2021.

Donnarumma joined PSG during the 2021-22 campaign as a free agent. He has mostly played in rotations with Keylor Navas, but at 22, he has age on his side. Donnarumma is expected to quickly become a starter, seeing him add a lot more numbers to the 13 appearances he has had so far.