Francesco Camarda recently celebrated a big birthday, and the time has come to start thinking about his future again in view of 2026-27.
As MilanNews recall, Camarda turned 18 on March 10. Born in 2008, he has been at the centre of media and sporting attention for so long that it’s strange to think he’s only just becoming an adult, something that means he can now sign a five-year contract instead of a three-year one.
His current deal expires in June 2028, a contract he renewed before his loan to Lecce, but this too is a point to take into consideration for his immediate future and beyond. The talk of a permanent sale, though, seems wide of the mark.
A summer crossroads
The most important aspect is, and must remain, the sporting aspect. He has so far played 634 minutes in Serie A across 17 appearances for Lecce, averaging around 37 minutes per game, with only one goal scored against Bologna.
It must be said that Eusebio Di Francesco – with the exception of Lecce-Torino on November 30th – has always called upon him, whether for a few minutes in the second half or as a starter. Since the beginning of January, the teenager been out with a shoulder problem too.
This actually became a bit of a bone of contention between the two clubs: Camarda underwent surgery on January 28th, after realising that the conservative treatment recommended by Lecce wasn’t working. His loan wasn’t terminated though, and he should return before the season ends.
What has Camarda’s loan experience in Serie A been like so far? Challenging, above all. A boy accustomed to scoring more than a goal per game in various youth categories and national teams has encountered the harsh reality of Serie A, which is unforgiving and physical.
Playing against crafty defenders and carrying 20kg more has meant that the 2008-born player struggled with the step up, although not excessively. Camarda has nevertheless shown some interesting performances and a technical polish that gives hope.
At the end of the year, the 18-year-old will return to Milan, where his future will be assessed. It will be important for him to get plenty of playing time, so he can make mistakes, try, score, and grow. A prime example is Francesco Pio Esposito, who spent two years at Spezia before returning to Inter more refined.
That being said, Pio Esposito is three years older than Camarda and they are obviously different players. However, the Nerazzurri forward and their directors realised that it was the right path to take. After all, it is better to be ready at 21 than to never fully adapt to top flight football.
Said this in the summer: he should have gone to one of the top teams in Serie A, not Lecce, where the only thing he does is running after ball carriers.
*Serie B
You’re right, I believe that because of his potential he was able to pushed and was accommodate to play in Serie A when he was not really ready. All the fans looking for the next Italian #9 also fed into it. They kept wanting him to start for ACM…. really? Teams in a relegation battle are teams that are just trying to hold on for dear life. Not a place to develop a young player who needs playing time with a team that has some offensive ambition.
how do you have this arrogance that he can be a starter at a Lazio Napoli Juve? lmao
I’ve a bad feeling about this guy.
Strikers are one of the hardest areas to break into.
Even I support the idea of signing new strikers because they make such a big difference.
Had Milan had better strikers this season they’d be first.
Milan have taken that approach to a fairly extreme level by signing at least one new striker every season for the past 20.
They’ll be signing new striker(s) this summer, and probably the summer after and the summer after and maybe a few winters in between.
I’ve no idea how Camarda will get a break.
Most youth players at Milan were accidents. They got chances due to injuries or some disastrous transfer (or both).
Look at Bartesaghi. He wasn’t supposed to be starting. The plan was he’d be ‘back up’. If it hadn’t been for Allegri insisting on a small squad and Estupiñán struggling at the beginning then he’d never have got a chance.
Allegri is the one hope. In his first stint he introduced players like De Sciglio, Cristante and El Shaaraway.
He insists on smaller squads as well.
If Milan do sign someone like Lewandowski maybe Camarda could be the actual back up.
It’s time.
He needs to fill out his frame, he is still a growing boy, but he is big, and he’s going to need to build his strength as that’s how he did so well in the youth sector. He will come good, but he needs the stewardship of someone like Allegri who isn’t afraid to put his confidence in youth, it has always been the adventurous coaches who’ve made young players like Maldini, Baresi, Albertini and the rest grow, we haven’t always gotten it right when it comes to keeping our youth, we have two of our youth players captaining our rivals in Cristante and Locatelli.
He should have played in Serie B this season instead of with a relegation battle team in the top flight.
A team at a lower level but competing for the league and spending a lot more time in their forward half. Not just ‘Park the bus’ defending with very minimal opportunities for strikers.