Serie A giants Roma roped in Lorenzo Venturino from Genoa in January in a deal that went rather under-the-radar even in Italy. The attacker joined on an initial loan, with the Giallorossi having an option to buy the player permanently.
The youngster is 19 and despite not having played much at Genoa in the first half of the season, Gian Piero Gasperini seems to have trusted him with first-team minutes in Rome.
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Venturino has played seven times in Serie A, featuring for over 100 minutes already. Against his parent club Genoa, he played 45 minutes and played 35 minutes in Roma’s win over Cremonese. While the talent is yet to score, his strengths have been clear to see.
Where does Venturino thrive?
The teenager first caught the attention last season at Genoa, as he scored an unexpected brace in a 3-1 win over Genoa. The goal, in a way, was a good reflection of his strengths.
It oozed boldness, as Venturino cut inside, used his ability to carry the ball and showcased his 1v1 ability. He seemed to be in control of the ball in tight spaces, with the ball almost tied to his feet at times despite the danger around him.
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That, in a nutshell, is where his strengths lie. His low centre of gravity is a big help too, allowing him to get past defenders with ease, leaving them dazzled with his burst of pace.
Venturino has also shown himself to be very versatile, having played on either flank and even centrally – especially under Gasperini. On top of that, he can also use either foot. Many dribblers like him usually use their stronger foot to find an advantage but Venturino constantly shows that he uses both, which catches many off-guard.
One can easily spot similarities to other players like Nicola Zalewski due to the dribbling style but the talent seems to have more upper body strength to hold off defenders.
Why the future could be bright
In recent seasons, Genoa have shown an inclination towards bringing the most out of young players – as evident from Honest Ahanor’s move to Atalanta. The fact that Venturino was trusted at 18 says everything about the Rossoblu’s approach.
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At Roma under Gasperini, he has the right tools to make a mark. The Italian loves players who attack directly in the final third, aiding the man-to-man approach. Ademola Lookman is the most recent example, with comparisons quite easily viable in Venturino’s case.
Gasperini probably recognises that and knows that trusting him has quite a bit of value. Besides, Roma have not really had an aggresive dribbler in their side this season and Venturino fills in the gap very well.
Recently, he was called up to the Italian U21s side, which is a big hint of his profile being on the rise because of Roma.
Now, it would only take more regular game time for things to grow further. Some goal contributions on the way won’t harm his case either.
