Casadei: England ‘helped me’ earn Italy call-up | OneFootball

Torino talent Cesare Casadei admits his spell in England has given him ‘a lot’ and helped him earn his first Italy call-up.

The former Chelsea, Reading, and Leicester City midfielder joined Torino in the winter transfer window and took only 41 days in Serie A to receive his first Italy call-up.

“Everything is happening very quickly. Honestly, I’m just trying to stay focused on the present and do what I can,” the midfielder said at a press conference on Monday via TMW.

“I think about working day by day. It’s always a pleasure to receive compliments from the coach, and being called up is a source of pride. I try to give my best. As I said, receiving praise from the national team coach is a source of pride and an extra motivation to keep working.

Casadei joined Chelsea from Inter in 2022 but spent loan spells at Reading and Leicester City before returning to Stamford Bridge in January 2024.

How much has his experience in England helped him in his development?

Casadei: England ‘helped me’ earn Italy call-up

epa10680563 Cesare Casadei of Italy celebrates after scoring the 1-0 goal during the FIFA U-20 World Cup semifinal soccer match between Italy and South Korea, in La Plata, Argentina, 8 June 2023. EPA-EFE/DEMIAN ALDAY ESTEVEZ

“A lot. I can only speak for myself. It’s not the same for everyone,” he admitted.

“I can only say that these two years in England have given me a lot: I’ve come out of it as a different person and a different player. I can only thank those who have helped me, and I’m proud of my journey.

“I can only speak about my personal experience: in England, I’ve had various experiences, moving between different clubs, both on loan and permanently. From my experience, I don’t feel comfortable making a general comparison between Italy and England. It’s a matter of opportunities, and honestly, I haven’t noticed such a big difference between the two countries.”

Has he noticed much difference between Italian and English football?

“It’s a different style of football compared to Italy,” Casadei noted.

“From a technical point of view, one of the main differences is the intensity, but Serie A is also very intense and competitive. That’s probably the biggest difference.”

Casadei has become an immediate starter at Torino and has already scored his first goal in Serie A.

“I’m very happy. I think my integration into the group was helped by the trust I felt from the beginning,” he said.

“That’s what I was looking for, a team where I could play as much as possible and regain the continuity I was missing. I’m really happy, and I have to thank the coach, the staff, and my teammates.

“I consider myself a midfielder who likes to make forward runs, a player who tries to contribute physically to the team, push forward, and maybe even score goals,” the ex-Chelsea midfielder continued.

“Aside from that, I always try to give the team what it needs and what the coach asks of me. I’ll make myself fully available to the coach, and based on what he wants, I’ll do my best to meet his demands and his style of play.”

Has he already talked to Luciano Spalletti, and how much has Torino captain Samuele Ricci helped him settle in at Torino?

“I met the coach last night, but we haven’t gotten into technical specifics yet,” claimed Casadei.

“Samuele is a key figure at Torino. He’s the captain and a role model. I try to follow his example because he’s a great guy and has been helping me a lot in these first few weeks at Torino.”

Torino coach Paolo Vanoli has also contributed to Casadei’s immediate impact at his new club.

“The coach is someone who transmits a lot of passion. From what I’ve seen over the past weeks, he has always shown that he puts his heart into everything he does. Celebrating with your fans is great. It’s only right to do it with those who follow and support you,” the midfielder concluded.