Francesco Camarda is one of the players that AC Milan are most excited about for the future and a sliding doors moment might just have presented itself.
A few weeks ago, Camarda scored a beautiful overhead kick goal in Milan Primavera’s Youth League victory against Paris Saint-Germain. Now with Noah Okafor’s injury, Gianluca Di Marzio confirms that he could be called up for the game against Fiorentina.
In September, he scored a brace against Newcastle on the first round of the Youth League. At the moment Camarda plays for the Primavera team coached by Ignazio Abate despite being underage, given that he is just 15 and often plays with/against players four years older.
Can Camarda be called up to the first team by Pioli? And if so, when?
Article 34 of the NOIF (Internal organisational rules of the federation) clarifies: “‘Young’ footballers registered for the associated clubs in the Leagues and those of the Women’s Football Division can only take part in matches expressly reserved for players in the youth categories.
“‘Young’ footballers, who are chronologically 15 years of age, and female footballers who are chronologically 14 years of age, except as provided for in the following paragraph 3 bis for the Serie A and Serie B Women’s championships, can also participate in competitive activities organised by the Leagues and the Women’s Football Division, provided they are authorised by the Regional Committee – LND, territorially competent and by the Women’s Football Division.”
The federal regulation for all players in their 15th year requires that an exemption be requested and granted by the FIGC in preparation for taking to the pitch. Milan, in this aspect, have already taken action.
Pioli could therefore call Camarda up for Saturday’s game, but it is a different situation regarding professional contracts where it is possible to sign them only after reaching the age of 16. Camarda will therefore only be able to sign an agreement with Milan from March 2024 (he was born on 9 March 2008).
If he were to take the field with Fiorentina, Camarda would rewrite all the records of Milan and Serie A. At 15 years, 8 months and 23 days, he would take Wisdom Amey’s record as the youngest debutant in Serie A.
