On the heels of one of the most unusual campaigns ever, Serie A is about to kick-start a brand new 2020-2021 season. While Juventus will be gunning for a historical 10th league title in a row, their opposition party will be aiming to dethrone the long time champions.
But who will be the top protagonists on the field that the audience must keep an eye on? Although all eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo, who remains the ultimate star of Serie A if not world football, here are the top 10 other players who are tipped to shine brightly during the season.
Ashraf Hakimi (Inter)
We kick-off with one of the most exciting additions to the league this season. Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta should be lauded for successfully securing the services of one of the most sought-after young players in Europe.
The young Moroccan enjoyed an incredible two-year loan stint at Borussia Dortmund, cementing himself as one of the most explosive right wing-backs in the world, and his double against his new club was one of his highlights from last season.
For one reason or another, his parent club Real Madrid weren’t very interested in keeping him, but Antonio Conte is undoubtedly delighted to have among his ranks the perfect wing-back to fit in his favorite 3-5-2 formation.
Dejan Kulusevski (Juventus)
Incredibly talented, purely determined, and a work-horse for 90 minutes, the former Atalanta youngster has all the characteristics needed to fit in the Juventus model.
After gaining the attention of all top Italian clubs during his loan spell at Parma last season, Juve were the quickest to react, preferring to seal a deal for the young Swede in January rather than risk losing his signature in the summer.
At Juventus, Kulusevski will be facing an enormous level of competition for a starting berth in attack, but thanks to his versatility, he could convince his boss Andrea Pirlo to fit him somewhere in the midfield, or maybe as a wing-back in a possible 3-5-2 formation.
Alessio Cragno (Cagliari)
The only goalkeeper on this list, the Cagliari man was plagued with a shoulder injury last season, but was thankfully able to regain his fitness and form and prove himself as one of the best Italian shot-stoppers.
Despite being Cagliari’s main man between the posts for the last three years, this season Cragno should be focused on putting on some solid displays all year long for the Sardinians, and finally secure himself a much deserved move for a bigger side.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Milan)
One of the greatest names to ever grace the Italian game, the giant Swede remains among the most dangerous strikers in the world.
While we have already witnessed Zlatan do pretty much everything on the pitch, from scoring every impossible goal to engaging in thrilling battles with opposition defenders, this could be our last chance to watch the “Old Lion“ go for one more round before he hangs up his boots.
Watching the Swede legend lead a group of young and hungry Milan players into a better future for the club is undeniably a thrilling sight in itself. And make sure not to blink whenever Ibra is on the pitch, as you might just end up missing another incredible golazo.
Pedro Rodriguez (Roma)
The Serie A world is about to proudly welcome another real champion to its prolific roster, as the veteran Spaniard owns an astonishing trophy cabinet containing almost every major trophy that he could have won, including a World Cup, a European Championship, three Champions League trophies, five La Liga titles and an EPL medal.
The diminutive winger was never the main man in the sides that he played for in the past, but his skills and work-rate rendered him a favorite among the fans and the managers alike, and Roma fans will be hoping that their new signing can add some winning mentality for a club that is starving for fresh silverware.
Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
It’s true, here at The Cult of Calcio we are absolutely excited about Napoli’s new striker. Blessed with strength, talent, and some exceptional finishing skills, the young Nigerian has all the tools to become an instant Serie A hit.
While Arkadiusz Milik possesses an almost similar skill-set, the Polish hitman never quite reached the hearts of the Neapolitan people, as he maintained a cold and distanced relationship with the fans. On the other hand, Osimhen has almost immediately become a fan favorite at Napoli, and with one the most passionate fan bases in the world behind him, the sky is the limit for the Super Eagle.
Sandro Tonali (Milan)
Another young player beloved by our website, the former Brescia golden-boy is set for his first major test in his promising career. After evidently being linked to Andrea Pirlo, and asking for Gennaro Gattuso’s jersey, the bar couldn’t be set any higher for the new Milan Regista.
While questions remain on where he would fit in Stefano Pioli’s formation, and how fast will he adapt with his new environment, the Italy international will undoubtedly be closely monitored more than any other young player in the league, and the Rossoneri fans will be hoping that he’ll able to perform under this enormous type of pressure.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio)
After an underwhelming 2018-2019 season, the Serbian rebounded extremely well last season by arguably becoming the league’s most complete midfielder.
While his teammate Ciro Immobile had an astonishing season and was crowned with the Golden-Shoe award, SMS stepped up his game and held the whole Lazio team on his shoulders whenever needed, with his performance against Inter in the Olimpico Stadium highlighting his incredibly various skills.
With the Aquile returning for the Champions League after 13 long years, Sergej will have the chance to display all of his abilities on the big European stage and stake his claim as one of the best midfielders in the world.
Romelu Lukaku (Inter)
It’s often been stated that a new striker in Serie A needs a long adaptation period which could sometimes last for a whole season. But the Belgian giant is not “any striker”, and proved it by scoring 23 league goals as well as putting up an impressive scoring run in the Europa League which was almost enough to secure Inter a first European trophy in 10 years.
So after his impressive start in Italian football, one could only wonder how good will the former Man United and Everton striker be next season as he’s about to reach ther peak years of his career, and the Nerazzurri fans will be crossing their fingers in the hopes that their big striker finally cements himself as one the absolute best center-forwards in world football.
Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Playing under the shadows of Leo Messi at Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, it’s no wonder that the young number 10 took a long time to establish himself as a top protagonist to his side.
Nonetheless, after surprisingly beating his Portuguese teammate for the Best Player in Serie A last season, we might be finally about to witness the launch of the “Dybala Era” at Juventus.
Despite being at the club for five years now, the Argentine managed to take his game up a notch, overcoming a tough start to the season to lead his side with skills and character for the 9th straight Scudetto title.
Bonus: Mister X
Milan fans are very familiar with our last induction to the list, as during the Silvio Berlusconi era, former vice-president Adriano Galliani would often refer to any anonymous “major” singing as “Mister X”, with the final results varying between excitement and disappointment.
This transfer session, like any other, could still end up offering Serie A fans additional new stars who can boost the league’s quality and popularity.
Among the possible big new comers, Luis Suarez (Juventus) is arguably the biggest name currently linked to the Italian league after the announcement of Leo Messi’s stay at Barcelona, and Arturo Vidal (Inter) is another exciting name that is seeking an exit from Catalunya.
But if the Suarez deal doesn’t materialize, then a host of other strikers could be approached by Juve, including former players Alvaro Morata and Moise Kean.
But Juventus fans would understandably be left disappointed if their Mister X in attack turns out to be none other than Chelsea’s Oliver Giroud, a sensation that Milan fans can relate to thanks to Mr. Galliani’s last years at club.