Chelsea signed Cesare Casadei from Inter Milan last summer and included him in their U21 squad for this season.
The midfielder scored five goals and registered one assist from 13 matches in all competitions for the Chelsea U21 side. He is yet to make an appearance for the Blues first team.
Casadei’s move to the west London club raised a few eyebrows in Italy. Journalist Marco Conterio, writing in his column for TuttoMercatoWeb, used the player’s decision to join Chelsea as an example to give his take on what’s wrong with the youth football in his country.
‘In a country with limited views and visions like Italy, Cesare Casadei’s move to Chelsea where he actually played only in the Under 21s appeared as yet another act of bulimia from the transfer market of a great England,’ Conterio said.
‘Nothing could be more wrong: in the United Kingdom the second teams work, a recent interview with the Fiorentina Primavera coach, Alberto Aquilani, with Cronache di Spogliatoio, certifies it. He who played for Liverpool, he who now leads and wins with the young Viola, confirms it.’
He made his debut for the Championship side in their 2-2 draw against Watford last weekend.
The journalist has shared the views in Italy over Casadei’s decision to go out on loan to Reading, while he backed the midfielder’s decision to join the second division English club on loan.
He explained: ‘The criticisms for Casadei’s choice to go on loan to Reading are yet another demonstration of how limited the Italian vision is.
‘In the meantime, for a specific: he went to the Championship, one of the most probing championships physically and in terms of pace in the world.
‘And then Chelsea loaned him outright, a sign that the Blues believe in him, even if there is clearly no certainty about tomorrow. But it is a show of trust from a club that is investing millions and millions in young players.
‘Where would Casadei play in Italy? In the Primavera of Inter, which is certainly not a second English team, as Aquilani specified. And then? On loan to start gaining experience as a reserve with just a few minutes, given that even in Serie B it’s certainly not common for young players to find space? At Reading, first match and immediately almost 60 minutes against Watford.’
