Written before the start of the 2022/23 Serie A campaign…
The 2021/22 Serie A campaign proved a mixed bag for US Sassuolo, finishing in 11th place on 50 points, 12 points less than their 8th placed finish during the previous campaign.
There were incredible triumphs against some of the division’s best sides including AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan, but could not replicate such heroics against the lesser teams, hence their 11th placed finish.
The loss of key figures in Manuel Locatelli and Francesco Caputo in 2021 were indeed huge blows, but their recruitment and the emergence of one Gianluca Scamacca was certainly a notable highlight in an otherwise average campaign, with 16 goals from 36 Serie A outings.
However, the Italian hitman wasn’t the only one writing his name in the Serie A headlines. Swiftly bursting onto the scene, Davide Frattesi showcased just why he is one of the Italian top flight’s most coveted young midfielders enjoying a sensational campaign.
Four goals, including one in a win away to Juventus, has been a strong return for the central midfielder, with his ability to arrive late in the box being one of the key barometers of his performance level.
As with his hugely talented clubmates Giacomo Raspadori and Scamacca, Frattesi is being tracked by all the big clubs in Italy, with rumours popping up all throughout the summers suggesting the likes of Inter Milan, Juventus and AS Roma are preparing an assault for his signature and it seems as if Jose Mourinho’s men may be welcoming back Frattesi to Rome with open arms, as they are close to sealing a move for the Italian star.
So let’s get cracking with the profile and analysis on one of Italy’s most decorated young products.
Who is Davide Frattesi?
Born in Rome, Italy. The 22-year-olds burst onto the scene has been seamless but arguably very sudden.
But after a succession of loan spells in Italy’s second division, the combative and dynamic midfielder has been earning his stripes waiting for the opportunity to emerge with his current club Sassuolo.
Since leaving his hometown club AS Roma in 2017 to join Sassuolo, Frattesi has consistently raised his level; moving from the Primavera to join Ascoli on loan, before spending two seasons with promotion-chasing clubs in the form of Empoli and Monza.
Frattesi amassed over 100 Serie B appearances over three seasons, winning the Premio Manilo Scopigno, Serie B’s player of the season award, the season before last alongside Italian under-21 team-mate Samuele Ricci.
Since 2015, Frattesi has also featured over 50 times for Italy at youth level as an ever-present from the under-17s to under-21s. All the graft and experience gained meant he was indeed ready for the 2021/22 campaign, and so it proved.
With the departure of key man Manuel Locatelli, it was time for Frattesi to step up to the mark and finally be exposed to the Italian top-flight. And the 22-year-old took to those demands with such admirable and excellent aplomb showcasing his dynamic, aggressive, high intensity and proactive style – from a slightly more reserved position on the right side of a double-pivot midfield with Maxime Lopez.
As if Italy needed any more impressive midfielders of high potential, they have now managed to pluck out and develop another. Such his fine attributes and characteristics have seen become a crucial figure in Roberto Mancini’s Italian national side, making his international debut in a 1-1 draw against Germany in the UEFA Nations League.
He’s gone on to make a further two appearances for Mancini’s men, and long may his featuring in such a decorated and talented group continue.
How Good is Frattesi?
If you’ve seen Frattesi in action, then you’d have no problems understanding why Italy’s top clubs are scouring for his signature, especially after just one full campaign in Serie A.
Frattesi is an exceptional midfielder that can perform almost any role in the midfield. As a no.6, no.8, a no.4 and as a no.10, the 22-year-old wonderkid can be claimed as the ideal embodiment of a complete midfielder.
The 3-time Italian international certainly though, possesses the qualities and skills to more or less be described as a “box to box” midfielder, that is, able to contribute to the team both in the offensive and defensive phases, allowing him to maraud forward with superb and lambasting runs from deep, whilst also winning his defensive duels and breaking up opponent’s attacking play.
With his 184cm frame, Frattesi is a very tough and combative midfielder blessed with very good physical endurance and attributes, even if he is not the strongest and tallest on the pitch, he will give all when fighting for the ball and has no problem trying to dribble in the open field, engage in shoulder-to-shoulder tackles.
Premier League commentators will absolutely love Frattesi. He brings pace, power, passion and desire to the game, and has been a consistent performer that rarely puts in bad shift. As stated previously, he isn’t the biggest or in the tall quota of footballers in Italy, but his dogged, aggressive and high intensity style makes up for those supposed physical weaknesses. He is big-bodied midfielder that throws his weight around, bruises the opposition and seeks to dominate within his sphere of influence.
The former Italy U21 international is a nightmare to play against as he constantly snaps at the heels of opponents in his sometimes ambitious attempts to win the ball back. He’s almost like a kid in a playground, he just doesn’t stop until the bell/whistle sounds. And he is quick too, regularly demonstrating great recovery speed that makes him a very valuable asset when defending in transition – an important virtue in a ball-dominant team that wants to defend high up the pitch.
Four goals and three assists from midfield, in his first Serie A campaign, is an impressive feat to carry forward but with the amount of quality, dynamism and aggressive nature he brings, you could certainly say that Frattesi brings so much to the table.
In fact, in his attacking metrics for Sassuolo, he certainly proves an effective figure, ranking in the top 5% of midfielders within Europe’s top five leagues for xG (Expected goals) per 90 (0.21), top 3% for npxG (non-penalty expected goals) per 90 (0.21) and in the 76th percentile – top 24% of midfielders – for xA (Expected assists) per 90 (0.32). Frattesi is not afraid to get shots off too, ranking in the 96th percentile for shots total per 90 (2.08), and in the 95th percentile for shots on target per 90 (0.60).
At first, when watching him, he may be rough around the edges, but in a young Sassuolo team that is not necessarily a bad thing. His grit, determination and passion brings a steely edge to a team that otherwise lacks it. That’s not to say, it won’t prove a key component in a much more bigger outfit when he does make the move in the near future.
his engine and gut-running makes him a consistent contributor at both ends of the field. Underlining that, Frattesi ranks in the 94th and 83rd percentiles amongst players in Europe’s top-five leagues for touches in the attacking and defensive penalty areas respectively. He is indeed the true embodiment of a box-to-box midfielder.
One of Frattesi’s most striking characteristics, and one which will certainly make him perfectly suited to playing at the most elite level, his constant knack of receiving possession and running with the ball within an instant.
Once he smells an opening, or a lane of space to exploit he’ll ghost by his markers before they can even react. And he is devastating at it, simply because of his wonderful balance, low-sense of gravity, excellent ball control and spatial awareness.
But in a high possession team like Sassuolo, Frattesi is having to refine and develop his distribution and qualities in possession, as teams set up their blocks and restrict his ability to burst into spaces on the break. However, that doesn’t stop him as he so proved time and time again last season. His underlying numbers for effective carries highlight why he is so decisive ranking in the top 9% for carries into penalty area per 90 (0.41), the top 17% or the 83rd percentile for carries into the final third (1.89) and in the 75th percentile for progressive carries per 90 (4.82).
Frattesi’s rough exterior and work ethic belies a surprisingly strong technical skillset. Tasked with replacing a Manuel Locatelli-shaped hole in Sassuolo’s midfield, he has not allowed standards and expectations to drop.
His primary role with a possession-oriented team, has seen him shuffling the ball around short in midfield, with the occasional cross-field diagonal to mix things up. It is not the best use of his qualities in possession, but understandable given the club’s wealth of attacking options ahead of him, like Gianluca Scamacca, Hamad Traore, Gianluca Raspadori and Domenico Berardi.
The 22-year-old has shown that he is comfortable around the penalty area. With much box-to-box midfielders around the continent, they look awkward and unrefined when approaching the final third, but that just isn’t the case with Frattesi as his impressive underlying numbers read.
He is certainly capable of chipping in with a near-double-digit goal tally if given license to attack the box with regularity, and playing with much more accomplished stars and within a tactical framework that could complement and get the best out of his attributes, that will certainly become a regular occurrence.
What does the future hold for Frattesi?
Frattesi is at a great club with a strong overall project where he has vastly developed his impressive skill-set. Alongside Atalanta, Sassuolo are Serie A’s benchmark for smart recruitment, and pairing those players with forward-thinking coaches.
With clubs like Juventus, Inter Milan and AS Roma all keeping a close eye on the 22-year-old midfielder, it is incredibly paramount that is Frattesi is to move clubs, then he chooses one which will further aid his tremendous development, and more importantly provide him with the tactical style that will suit his game.
It’s unlikely whether that will be Jose Mourinho’s Roma, but certainly alongside more destructive and well-rounded outlets, and preferrably in a dynamic and counter-attacking system, he may be afforded the perfect conditions to thrive. He may be certainly swayed by a potential homecoming to the City where he started his path.
Frattesi’s athleticism and skillset has such enormous potential. In the last two seasons, we have seen the rise of Nicolò Barella at Inter as an excellent box-to-box terrier. Frattesi has the potential to be just as dynamic; a hard-working defensive presence with a clinical attacking edge.
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