Aberdeen midfielder Connor Barron fits the mould of what Italian clubs are searching for claims an Italian football expert.
The Scotland under-21 international has been linked with a move to Serie A, with Sassuolo and Cagliari both reportedly on the trail of the 21-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer.
Stephen Kasiewicz, writer for Football Italia, is not surprised to see Barron on the radar of clubs in Italy.
He said: “In the past Serie A wouldn’t have been an option for Scottish players, but Liam Henderson has broken the mould with that, while Aaron Hickey was a trailblazer whose move to Bologna led to them widening their scouting department to include Scotland.
“The budgets of Serie A teams don’t match the smaller clubs in England’s Premier League due to the massive TV revenue in English football and Scotland seems to be one market many follow.
“Serie A did a big campaign about how Italian football is back. It’s certainly growing from what it was, but they still have to look at a different type of player and Barron fits that mould.
“They look at Africa, smaller Balkan countries like Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia.
“He would fit the characteristics clubs would be looking for.
“The success of Hickey has opened many eyes in Italy, and, of course, Lewis Ferguson has done incredibly well.”
Could Barron link-up with the Tinkerman?
Former Press and Journal sportswriter Kasiewicz believes Italian football would give Barron a terrific platform to showcase his abilities and insists both clubs would hold appeal for Barron.
Kasiewicz would be fascinated at the prospect of seeing Barron play for the Tinkerman.
He said: “The great Claudio Ranieri is coach at Cagliari and he brought them up from Serie B.
“He is a legendary coaching figure in Italy and, of course, in England due to what he did with Leicester (winning the Premier League).
“It is still unclear if he will stay for next season, but the fans absolutely adore him there, and if Barron was to link-up with Ranieri, it would be quite an incredible thing.
“They have scored an awful lot of late goals this season – especially at home.
“At the weekend, they defeated Atalanta, who are challenging for Europe, 2-1.
“They have had some surprising results and their objective this season is to stay at home. They’ve done well at home.
“Calgliari would be a different lifestyle from mainland Italy as well.”
Sassuolo’s Serie A status in grave danger
Sassuolo have also reportedly scouted Barron, but their hopes of landing him may hinge on whether they can avoid relegation to Serie B.
With the club second bottom of the division, Kasiewicz shares in the commonly held belief that Sassuolo’s time in the top flight is in serious jeopardy.
He said: “If Barron went to Sassuolo, I’d say there is a very good chance he would be starting his career in Italy in Serie B.
“That’s where my club Sampdoria are – and it is still a very high standard.
“If he has offers from the Championship in England, I don’t think Serie B would hold the same appeal, as much as it pains me to say it.
“Sassuolo have really fallen away this season.
“They are the club where Roberto De Zerbi, who is now at Brighton, made his name.
“They have a very good reputation for picking up players who maybe haven’t fulfilled their potential or from different markets from around the world and building them up.
“Their star man is Domenico Berardi, the Italian international, who has been injured for much of this season.
“His absence has been one of their big problems this season as he is the talisman of the club who has been there more than 10 years.
“With him out they have dropped down the league and a lot of the pundits regard them as certainties for relegation.
“They have only won six games this season and some of the goals they have conceded have been terrible.
“They are a club who have punched about their weight to the extent they qualified for the Europa League in 2016 after finishing sixth under Eusebio Di Francesco.
“But they are in serious danger of relegation this season after being in Serie A since winning Serie B in 2013.”
Former Don Lewis Ferguson’s star continues to rise in Italy
While Barron’s future will become clear in the weeks ahead, former Don Lewis Ferguson’s success since moving to Italy from Aberdeen has seen him become a wanted man by the biggest clubs in the league.
Kasiewicz believes Ferguson’s commitment to Italy on and off the pitch has been the key factors in his rise to prominence with Bologna.
He said: “Ferguson exceeded expectations in his first season and has proven himself to be influential and versatile.
“He has embraced life in Italy.
“I was lucky enough to have a chat with him in pre-season and he emphasised just how much he loves the lifestyle, the food, and life in Bologna – which is a stunning city.
“This season he has made a huge impact again with six goals and three assists.
“To think he has gone from Aberdeen to being on the verge of moving to any of the biggest clubs in Italy is an incredible jump, but he has earned it on merit.
“He is such a composed player as well. You rarely see him lose his temper and he can play in any midfield position.
“He told me Thiago Motta, the head coach there, has opened his eyes to tactical things and positional changes he wasn’t even aware of before.
“He has learned so much in his time there and you are now talking about a player who could play for Juventus, Milan, Inter, Napoli or Lazio.
“All the big clubs have been credited with an interest, and if he manages to earn a move there you are talking about teams with massive supports, some of the biggest clubs historically in Europe, and massive exposure.”
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