Ahead of the start to the 2015/16 Serie A season, Ian Hawkey identifies the five most compelling players in the Italian top flight. Click the arrows below to scroll through his selections.
Claudio Marchisio, Juventus
A son of Turin, Marchisio can become the leader of the Juventus midfield now that Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal have gone. A fine footballer has the opportunity to become an era-defining one.
Mauro Icardi, Inter Milan
The Inter striker, whose football has at last attracted more headlines than his off-field life, aims to follow up his prolific 2014/15 with something even better. At 22, the sky should be the limit.
Pepe Reina, Napoli
A curious move, which saw Reina leave Napoli for Bayern Munich last summer, reconciled to being back-up goalkeeper there, has now been reversed. He will hope he has not become rusty.
Alessio Romagnoli, AC Milan
The next great Italian defender? AC Milan paid Roma €25 million (Dh102.5m) to bring in the 20-year-old Italy youth international and put him in the red-and-black stripes once worn by some of the game’s most distinguished centre-halves.
Antonio Cassano, Sampdoria
He is back after nine months unemployed, and at the Sampdoria he left under toxic circumstances in 2010. This really looks to be the last-chance saloon for the controversial 33-year-old forward.
