CM: Chelsea midfielder shines with Italy U21s – Milan observant amid Spalletti’s praise | OneFootball

Cesare Casadei is finding playing time hard to come by with Chelsea, but his performances for the Italy U21 team are helping to fuel suggestions that he could soon return to his home country.

As Calciomercato.com recall, Casadei scored Italy U21’s goal in the 1-1 draw with Ireland, which in turn secured qualification for Carmine Nunziata’s side for the final phase of the European Championships.

Casadei scored and did so under the eyes of a special spectator, because the coach of the senior national team Luciano Spalletti was also present at the match and – during an interview – he let him know that he liked what he saw.

Coach Spalletti, present in Trieste, spoke about the 21-year-old to to Rai: “He went through a period where he didn’t play much, now he’s got into the swing of things, he’s got the structure and he’s got the legs. He’s a player who can become ready in a short time.”

To make that leap though it is necessary to improve his situation in England with Chelsea. Casadei returned to the Blues last season after six months on loan at Leicester and remained with the Londoners during the summer window.

Enzo Maresca convinced him to stay, but the young Italian midfielder’s playing time has been extremely limited. He has not been used in the Premier League and has played only in the UEFA Conference League and in the EFL Cup, meaning less than 200 minutes of game time in total.

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Casadei is fighting for opportunities and the market spotlight has turned back on him, with Napoli, Milan and Juventus among the teams who are keen. The midfielder was asked about the summer rumours and he gave a firm response.

“After speaking with the coach, I was 100% sure that the decision to stay would be the best. Maresca told me what he thought, I had no doubts,” he said.

“I stayed here without considering possible loans. Nor am I thinking about it for the next winter market at the moment. I couldn’t be more proud to play for Chelsea. The competitive spirit was one of the reasons why I decided not to leave.”

However, if Maresca’s management doesn’t change between now and the end of the year and his playing time remains limited, then the situation could change drastically as could Casadei’s mindset. One thing was made clear: he grew up a fan of Milan, who need a midfielder, so it is a track to follow.