Italy U20 coach Carmine Nunziata has urged Chelsea midfielder Cesare Casadei to move to the Italian Serie A.

Casadei was captain of the Italy U20 team that reached the final of the U20 World Cup in Argentina. Despite being a midfielder, he emerged as highest goalscorer in the tournament with 7 goals in 7 games.

Nunziata said of the Chelsea midfielder: “Very few midfielders, and I’m not just talking about those of the same age, have his ability to get forward and score. He scored 7 goals in 7 games, as if he were a striker, going even beyond the most optimistic forecasts.

“But we who know him well are amazed up to a certain point, we know what he is capable of doing. I really think he is ready for Serie A. And it would do him good. The Under 20 World Cup has demonstrated that Cesare is a top-level player, but to grow up these kids have to deal with adult football on a daily basis. Play as much as possible.

“Can we say that he is a player like (Lazio’s Sergej) Milinkovic-Savic? Yes, he is that type of player there, especially for the presence and the timing with which he attacks the opponent’s penalty area.”