Italy under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio has said that he will not be calling-up Mattia Perin and Marco Verratti for the European Under-21 Championship in June.
The 43-year-old Azzurrini coach wants to avoid selecting players who have played under Antonio Conte in Italy’s senior squad and focus on the development of other emerging youngsters.
“When a player starts in the first team, we do not consider him to be in consideration anymore,” Di Biagio told Sky Sport Italia.
“If there was ever the possibility of bringing one of them back, I will speak to Conte. Now it is not the case with Perin, having lots of goalkeepers.
“Verratti is used to other stages. His availability for the European Championship would certainly make me pleased and in football you never know.
“That said there is a job for two years I did with the boys and it is right not to forget who we developed and who brought us to the final phase.”
