Football has always had it’s great dynasties, and although it may not have garnered the same adoration as Europe’s elite, Parma are among the most influential of Italian clubs.
Now though they find themselves on the brink with bankruptcy forcing them down into Serie D, with an exodus of players shortly to follow. Among a mixed squad of experienced Serie A regulars and promising youngsters is one individual attracting the greatest amount on interest, Jose Mauri.
The 19 year-old burst onto the scene this season with the Gialloblu, making 35 appearances in Serie A scoring two goals and creating two more. It was his winner against eventual champions Juventus that earned him the greatest amount of attention. Dashing forward and reaching the edge of the box, Mauri received the ball from Ishak Belfodil and hit it first time past Marco Storari; getting enough purchase to keep it out of reach of the goalkeeper.
It was exactly what any young player would want to establish themselves in Serie A. With Parma’s fate sealed it became a certainty Mauri would leave this summer, and AC Milan quickly emerged as the favourites. Having already snapped up Gabriel Paletta from the Gialloblu in January, Milan were bound to take advantage of the financial problems at Parma. Having Paletta at the club is likely to have played a part in Mauri’s decision, both of whom grew up in Argentina before switching their allegiance to Italy. Paletta won’t be the only familiar face in the Rossoneri squad, as he played with Davide Di Molfetta on a few occasions for the Italian Under-17’s.
For those who aren’t altogether familiar with the 19 year-old from Realicó, some detail may be required. He made his debut for Parma in 2013 but only played a handful of games appearing mostly on the bench. With the situation becoming ever more bleaker, Parma turned to Mauri for inspiration and he re-payed their faith with consistent performances. Results were not forthcoming in an underachieving team with all the attention surrounding the club’s finances, sapping the whole team of confidence. Mauri battled on, winning the ball back for his side with excellent regularity and judging his tackles with great precision.
He has a creative side to his game which does need developing, as Parma coach Roberto Donadoni has looked to promote. So far he’s played in a deep-lying playmaker role and as a box-to-box offensive midfielder. He scored his first Serie A goal against Udinese when in the more advanced role, but has been indispensable in a more reserved position as he wins the ball back so effectively. Many observers have noted he has the potential to develop into a complete midfield, much like Juventus star Arturo Vidal.
Mauri has become the sixth signing of new coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, with an air of optimism descending over Milanello in what many are describing as a ‘new project’. Although his signing is somewhat dwarfed by the €20m spent on Andrea Bertolacci, the arrival of Mauri could be just as significant as the season progresses. Many Milanisti believe they’re making an investment for the future in bringing Mauri to the club, a player who’s earned comparisons with Barcelona stalwart Javier Mascherano for his grit and determination. It will be interesting to see where Mihajlovic deploys the 19 year-old, whether he’ll make him part of the more offensive midfielders or give him a deeper role.
For Mauri himself it could be a turning point in his career. With SportItalia claiming he’ll be earning 25 times more then he was earning at Parma with a four-year contract, his transfer to Milan opens up a number of avenues for a player just getting a taste of senior football. During his development at Parma he actually turned down a number of clubs, Manchester United among them, in order to continue his progression. Milan represents the next chapter in his development, but the Rossoneri won’t rush the youngster and will be careful to integrate him accordingly.
With the daunting price-tags set for Paris Saint-Germain prodigy Marco Verratti and Zenit powerhouse Axel Witsel, the Rossoneri will be hoping they’ve cut a corner by signing Mauri. While it’s always easier to sign someone of great quality, Milan have been afforded enough time to trial Mauri in Serie A and, with any luck, have him playing at a very high level in European competitions before too long. There’s no doubting his determination to succeed, but can Milan prove they’ve uncovered a hidden gem in what remains of the once mighty Gialloblu.
