Then playing for a local club at the age of nine, young Vittorio Parigini had caught the eye of Silvano Benedetti, the head of Torino’s youth system, who offered him a three day trial at the club shortly after discovering him. Within only an hour, they were already convinced. Since then, he went on to score 24 goals in 27 matches in one of his seasons in the youth teams, developing as a striker for much of his formative years before being shafted out wide by coach Roberto Foglia. It’s from this move that the young forward gained one of his most important traits – his versatility.

Throughout his short career so far, Parigini, one of the bright sparks of Torino’s hyped ’96 generation, has shown the ability to play anywhere across the frontline – either wing, second striker, midfielder, or even up top. This adaptability is largely due to his wide attacking skillset – ‘explosivity’ being a word commonly used by admirers, with exceptional technical skill and a tendency to take on defenders on the dribble drawing comparisons in Italy to compatriot Alessio Cerci.

Nevertheless, his talents are best showcased in the second striker role or in attack, where he was mainly deployed in a loan spell at then-newly promoted Perugia in Serie B last season. His time in Umbria proved to have a lasting impact on his development: not only was he able to refine his technical prowess, scoring 5 goals (4 in the league, 1 in the cup) in a total of 33 appearances, but he also benefited from acclimatising to the physical demands of the professional game after a total of 2 years in Serie B. Now one of the biggest prospects in the country, he is noted for his strength while on the dribble, as well as his ‘explosive’ speed. Many have also highlighted that Parigini’s character is what makes him stand out from other forwards his age. Having taken on the challenge of playing in Serie B at the age of 17 with Juve Stabia, he showed an element of maturity and strong character.

Once his loan at Perugia ends – his loan was understandably renewed for the coming season- , Parigini will hope to contribute to Torino’s first team and give back to the club that took a chance on him at the age of nine – although rumours have been circulating that prospective offers from Manchester City and Juve are interesting him. Nevertheless, he is regarded one of the best hopes for Italy’s future, having already scored a brace in an U19 friendly against Slovakia