Yahoo News I was Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea's coach - it's a shame Juventus have cashed in
Andrea Bonatti, who coached both Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea through Juventus' Under-19s, has expressed some regret over their joint transfer to Aston Villa.
The duo were announced as part of Unai Emery's squad on Monday in a €22m deal - Villa showing they mean business at the start of the summer. It followed on from midfielder Douglas Luiz's exit from Villa Park, moving to the Turin club in a completely separate €50m transfer.
Both signings have also shared a similar career path since each moving to Juve in 2020. Iling-Junior, a former Chelsea academy player, opted for a switch to Italy and began life there in Bonatti's U19s, or 'Primavera', team. Three years his senior, Barrenechea settled more comfortably into the club's Under-23 side, but would still feature for Bonatti in the UEFA Youth League and Juve Primavera.
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"It's a shame [they have been sold], because having been part of the final growth path they had that type of belonging that other guys don't have," their former coach tells TuttoJuve.com.
"The only ones responsible for making this type of decision is the club, they will probably have looked at the balance sheet carefully and evaluated the economic income from their sale. Perhaps for this very reason, the thought of selling them will have prevailed."
Their switch to England has happened on the back of breakout campaigns in Serie A. Iling-Junior was a key part of Max Allegri's first-team, making 27 of his total 45 appearances in 2023/24, whilst Barrenechea stood out on loan with Frosinone despite their eventual relegation.
It is from their performances over the past 12 months that Bonatti backs them each to succeed in their new surroundings.
"I am convinced that the Premier League is a championship that suits their characteristics," he continued. "Because they are two players with excellent technique, an important physical structure and athletic skills that will allow them to adapt very well to the intense pace at which the game is played in England."
