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La Gazzetta dello Sport reports Italy manager Luciano Spalletti is monitoring a vast group of players, including Nigeria-eligible duo Destiny Udogie and Michael Kayode, who could be called up in October.
Italy again suffered at the hands of North Macedonia — in Spalletti’s first game in charge — as their poor start to European Championship qualifying continued with a shock draw in Skopje.
Ciro Immobile nodded the Azzurri ahead in new boss Luciano Spalletti’s first game in charge. But Enis Bardhi’s 20-yard free-kick earned a point for the hosts, who upset Italy in the World Cup 2022 play-offs.
The draw means reigning European champions Italy face an uphill task to reach next year’s finals in Germany with just four points from their opening three games.
Spalletti explained during his first press conference last Saturday that he needed players with international experience for his first two games in charge of the Azzurri. He also warned that “not everyone” will be entitled to wear the Azzurri jersey during his tenure.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Spalletti is already keeping a close eye on young players who could be called up, starting from the next international break in October.
Among them Nicolò Fagioli (Juventus), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham), Samuele Ricci (Torino), Cesare Casadei (Leicester City, on loan from Chelsea), Fabio Miretti (Juventus), Michael Kayode (Fiorentina), Moise Kean (Juventus) and Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta).
The Azzurri will face North Macedonia away and Ukraine at San Siro in September, then Malta away and England at Wembley Stadium in October.
New Tottenham Hotspur defender Udogie, who turns 21 in November, has played for Italy from U-16 to U-21 levels. Even though he’s born in Italy, Udogie is eligible to feature for Nigeria through his parents, who were born in Nigeria.
Fiorentina right-back Kayode, 19, was also born in Italy to Nigerian parents and joined I Viola in 2023 after several years in the Juventus youth set-up. He’s featured for Italy at U-19 level and won the Coppa Italia Primavera and Supercoppa Italiana Primavera with Fiorentina.