The excitement surrounding a pre-season friendly must certainly be kept in check. However, the signs shown by Francesco Camarda are at the very least encouraging, both for the present and the future. His brace against Celtic had everything: cleverness in winning the penalty, composure in sending it into the top corner, and a natural goalscoring instinct with his headed second goal. His performance convinced Rúben Amorim to place his faith in him, according to today’s edition of 'La Gazzetta dello Sport'.
The deputy to Gonçalo Ramos
If there were still any doubts about the club’s future plans for the 2008-born striker, the Portuguese coach made them clear with one sentence: “Stay with us.” It was a sign of confidence, but also a responsibility being entrusted to him. As things stand, the 18-year-old is Gonçalo Ramos’ deputy in attack.
The former PSG striker will be the undisputed starter, but Camarda will have opportunities given Milan’s busy schedule across the league, Europa League and Coppa Italia. La Rosea reports that those who know him well believe he is ready for the challenge.
Camarda following in the footsteps of great Rossoneri players
It is inevitable that the story of the young striker brings memories of the great Milan players of the past who came through the youth academy and became first-team legends: from Franco Baresi to Paolo Maldini, as well as Alessandro Costacurta and Demetrio Albertini. The most recent successful promotion from the academy was that of Davide Bartesaghi, his friend and team-mate.
This season, the spotlight will instead be on the number 73 and his fellow 2008-born player Christian Comotto. Both recently signed contract extensions until June 2031, with an option for a further year. The message from Gerry Cardinale and the club is clear: make room for the young talents coming through the academy.
