Club career
Born in Vicenza, Mancini progressed through the youth ranks at the city's main club, [2] [3] [4] [5] where he signed his first professional contract in July 2020, penning a three-year deal. [3] [6] In the meantime, the forward also started training with the first team, under manager Domenico Di Carlo, [7] [8] and featured for Lega Pro's under-15 national team. [9]
On 30 September 2020, Mancini made his senior debut for Vicenza, playing the first half of the Coppa Italia game against Pro Patria, which ended in a 3–2 win after extra time for his side. [10] At 16 years and 67 days, he became the club's second youngest player ever, behind only Nicola Rigoni (who had debuted at 16 years and 60 days). [4] [11] On 4 January 2021, the forward made his league debut, coming in as a substitute for Stefano Giacomelli at the 80th minute of the Serie B match against Brescia, which ended in a 3–0 away win for his team. [12] [13] At 16 years and 162 days, he became the youngest player to ever feature in a Serie B match. [12] [14] Throughout the season, Mancini made four more senior appearances, including a start. [14] [15] In the following campaign, the forward saw his playing time limited by injuries and tactical decisions: in the end, he gained a total amount of nine senior appearances, as Vicenza eventually faced relegation from the second tier. [4] [5]
In the summer of 2022, Mancini attracted interest by several high-profile Italian and European teams: [4] [5] after starting the pre-season at Vicenza, [16] and failing to agree personal terms with AC Milan, [4] [17] he eventually joined Juventus on a permanent deal, [18] [19] with the estimated transfer fee being between €2 million and €2.5 million. [4] [20]
Mancini was initially assigned to the club's under-19 squad, where he impressed with his performances in the Campionato Primavera and the UEFA Youth League. [11] [21] On 7 December 2022, the center-forward made his debut for Juventus Next Gen, coming in as a substitute in the second half of the Coppa Italia Serie C match against Padova. [22]
Style of play
Mancini has been described as a complete center-forward, [2] [4] [11] who can play either as a standalone target man or in an attacking duo. [4] Despite being naturally right-footed, [2] [3] he can also use his left foot as effectively. [2] [11] Thanks to his height and his physique, he excels in heading and defending possession: [2] [4] [11] however, he can also take on his opponent with his technical skills and his athleticism. [4] [11] Moreover, he has been regarded for his coordination, his off-the-ball movement and his finishing prowess, which provide him with a wide variety of options to find the net through, including acrobatic strikes and free kicks. [2] [3] [4] [11] [31]
Due to his characteristics, he has been compared to Zlatan Ibrahimović. [2] [3]
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