Mancini set to hand first Italy call-ups to five U23 talents including Cissé
Quick summary
Italy head coach Roberto Mancini plans to give first senior call-ups to five Under-23 talents, including Cissé, as he looks to integrate young players into the Azzurri setup.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceLa Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Italy coach Roberto Mancini will mix young and experienced players in his senior Italy squad for Nations League games in September and October, giving at least five U23 talents their first call-up, including Milan’s Alphadjo Cissé.
Mancini will announce his Italy squad for Nations League games next week, and Italian media are already reporting on some likely decisions by the Azzurri boss.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 05: Alphadjo Cisse of AC Milan passes the ball during the pre-season match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 05, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images) According to Gazzetta, Mancini is determined to give a first call-up to U23 talents Cissé and Mattia Liberali (19), Nicolò Tresoldi (22), Alessandro Romano (20) and Issa Doumbia (22).
Tresoldi and Romano have played for Germany and Switzerland at the U21 level, respectively, but have reportedly agreed to play for Italy at a senior level, so Mancini and the FIGC are now waiting for FIFA’s green light before making their call-up official.
Matteo Palma of Udinese is another player with dual citizenship, as he can play for both Germany and Italy, but it’s unclear whether Mancini already wants to include the 18-year-old in the Italy squad for the next four games.
ENSCHEDE, NETHERLANDS – JUNE 15: Head coach of Italy Roberto Mancini attends before the UEFA Nations League 2022/23 semifinal match between Spain and Italy at FC Twente Stadium on June 15, 2023 in Enschede, Netherlands. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) Gazzetta highlights that Mancini won’t only call up young and promising players, but will likely include some experienced footballers as well, including Bryan Cristante and Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Italy will play Nations League games against Turkiye at home and away, plus Belgium at home and France away in the upcoming break, which will last two weeks.
All the top three teams from each Nations League group will be in Pot 1 in the Euro 2030 qualifiers draw in December, so Mancini wants a fair balance of young and established players in his team.
Therefore, according to Gazzetta, some youngsters who made their senior debuts under Silvio Baldini in June, including Mane, Chiarodia, Reggiani, Comuzzo, Ahanor, Lipani, Faticanti, Dagasso, Koleosho, Fini and Venturino, will be called up by the U21 coach.
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What happened
Roberto Mancini is determined to blood a new generation of Italian talent, with five Under-23 players reportedly in line for their first senior national team call-ups. Cissé is among the names being considered as Mancini continues his youth-focused approach to reshaping the Azzurri squad. The move signals an ongoing commitment to building depth and long-term options ahead of upcoming international commitments.
Chance analysis
Mancini's push to fast-track U23 players into the senior Italy fold reflects a clear strategic direction: refreshing a squad that has underperformed in recent tournaments and building a deeper pool of ready-made options. First call-ups always carry uncertainty, but they also signal trust and can accelerate a young player's development arc dramatically. For the Azzurri, this is a deliberate bridge between the Primavera/youth pipeline and the senior stage.
Italy's squad depth improves in the long term, but short-term performance may be variable as untested U23 players integrate into the senior setup.