Ivan De Santis

Ivan De Santis

Personal information
Full name	Ivan Francesco De Santis
Date of birth	(1997-05-21) 21 May 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Conversano, Italy
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Taranto
Number	4
Youth career
0000–2016	Milan
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2017	Milan	0	(0)
2016–2017	→ Catania (loan)	2	(0)
2017	→ Paganese (loan)	15	(1)
2017–2019	Ascoli	26	(1)
2019	→ Virtus Entella (loan)	11	(0)
2019–2022	Virtus Entella	2	(0)
2020	→ Cesena (loan)	4	(0)
2021	→ Modena (loan)	5	(0)
2021–2022	→ Monopoli (loan)	0	(0)
2022	→ Paganese (loan)	15	(0)
2022–2023	Monopoli	28	(2)
2023–	Taranto	27	(0)
2024	→ Fermana (loan)	4	(0)
International career‡
2012	Italy U15	9	(1)
2012–2013	Italy U16	4	(0)
2013–2014	Italy U17	15	(3)
2014–2015	Italy U18	5	(0)
2015–2016	Italy U19	3	(2)
2016–2017	Italy U20	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 October 2017

Ivan Francesco De Santis (born 21 May 1997) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Serie C Group C club Taranto. A centre-back, he made his professional debut on 2 November 2016, for Catania.

Career

Early career

De Santis was born in the Apulian town of Conversano, but began his career in Lombardy in the youth teams of Serie A giants Milan. His progression through the youth teams was rapid, and he became a starter for the Primavera side aged just 16. Despite playing against opponents often two years older than himself, De Santis impressed coaches whilst playing in the Campionato Nazionale Primavera and UEFA Youth League, ^[1] and made over 60 appearances for the Primavera side in total.

Loan moves

De Santis was sent on loan to Lega Pro side Catania at the beginning of the 2016–17 season. ^[2] Here, however, De Santis received little game time and made just three appearances. Due to this lack of playing time, Milan recalled De Santis early, in January 2017, in order to loan him out again. He signed a six-month loan contract with Paganese, also of Lega Pro, on 27 January 2017. ^[3]

Ascoli

On 8 January 2019, he joined Virtus Entella on loan with an option to purchase. ^[4]

Virtus Entella

He moved to Virtus permanently on 23 August 2019. ^[5]

Loan to Cesena

On 20 January 2020, he joined Serie C club Cesena on loan until the end of the season. ^[6]

Loan to Modena

On 14 January 2021, he was loaned to Serie C club Modena. ^[7]

Loan to Monopoli

On 31 August 2021 he moved to Monopoli on loan with an obligation to buy. ^[8]

Loan to Paganese

On 28 January 2022, he joined Paganese on a sub-loan from Monopoli. ^[9]

Taranto

On 20 July 2023, De Santis signed a two-year contract with Taranto. ^[10] On 26 January 2024, he was loaned by Fermana. ^[11]

National team

De Santis has played for every age category for Italy from under-15 to under-19, and also received a call-up to the under-20 side in September 2016 for the Under-20 Four Nations Tournament, after Fabio Della Giovanna was forced to withdraw due to injury. ^[12]

Career statistics

Club

Updated 1 January 2018

Club	League	Season	League		Cup		Europe		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Catania	Lega Pro	2016–17	2	0	1	0	–		–		3	0
Paganese		2016–17	15	1	0	0	–		1	0	16	1
Ascoli	Serie B	2017–18	10	0	1	0	–		0	0	11	0
Total			27	1	2	0	–		1	0	30	1

References

1. "The Stars Of Tomorrow... (Part 2 – Centre Backs)". Italian Football Daily. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
2. "Catania, in arrivo Ivan De Santis in prestito dal Milan" (in Italian). Tuttomercato. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
3. "Paganese, a breve l'annuncio di De Santis" (in Italian). Tuttomercato. 27 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
4. "Ufficiale: Ivan De Santis è un nuovo giocatore dell'Entella" [Official: Ivan de Santis is a new Entella player] (in Italian). Virtus Entella. 8 January 2019.
5. "Entella, in dirittura d'arrivo lo scambio De Santis-Poli con il Carpi". Tutto B. 23 August 2019.
6. "ALTRO ARRIVO DALLA VIRTUS ENTELLA: È IVAN DE SANTIS" (Press release) (in Italian). Cesena. 20 January 2020.
7. "Arriva il difensore De Santis" (in Italian). Modena. 14 January 2021.
8. "IVAN DE SANTIS É UN NUOVO CALCIATORE DEL MONOPOLI" (in Italian). Monopoli. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
9. "IVAN DE SANTIS IN PRESTITO DAL MONOPOLI" (Press release) (in Italian). Paganese. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
10. "DE SANTIS È UFFICIALMENTE ROSSOBLÙ" [DE SANTIS IS OFFICIALLY ROSSOBLÙ] (in Italian). Taranto. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
11. "UFFICIALE. Dal Taranto arriva il difensore Ivan De Santis" [OFFICIAL. Defender Ivan De Santis arrives from Taranto] (in Italian). Fermana. 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
12. "OGGI L'UNDER 20 ESORDISCE NEL 'QUATTRO NAZIONI', L'UNDER 18 AFFRONTA L'INGHILTERRA" (in Italian). FIGC. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.