Foxborough, Massachusetts - this is the next destination for Giacomo Vrioni, who will play in MLS this upcoming season now that his permanent move to the New England Revolution is official, in what is the first transfer to the US top flight of a player that has come through the Under 23 ranks.
This is an important milestone for the 23-year-old striker who comes off an extremely positive season on loan at WSG Swarovski Tirol in the Austrian Bundesliga. His season in Austria saw him rise to become an undisputed protagonist with 19 goals in 28 games, or 21 in 30 in all competitions, enough to earn the title of top scorer, shared with Adeyemi.
Since he joined Juventus in January 2020, Giacomo worked relentlessly, even in the darkest moment when on 26 November 2020 he fractured his fibula, ending his season prematurely. But, he had the strength to get back on the pitch, with more courage, determination and strength than before.
Giacomo wore the shirt of Juventus Under 23, and the height of his success was victory in the Serie C Italian Cup in season 2019/20. Unfortunately, his second year in Turin did not go to plan due to the shin fracture at the end of November that kept him out of action until the tail end of the 2020/21 season, when he scored the penalty that allowed the team to qualify for the play-offs with one match to spare.
Vrioni is a prime example of how Juventus enhance young talent through their participation in the Under 23 set-up in Serie C, a highly competitive league, and by also giving them the opportunity to mature outside of Italy.
Develop, enhance and maintain relationships with foreign clubs so as to shape raw talent and create positive feedback between the parties, and so allow young players to grow up through the Juventus youth teams and gain quality experience abroad. This, in a nutshell, is the philosophy of the “Club 15”, a project that sees Juventus lead the way together with clubs from all over the world, collaborating on loan deals. And Vrioni is one of the most successful examples of this project.
Now, for him, the chance to launch his career has come from overseas and we wish him all the best for his future.
Good luck, Giacomo!