Ahead of Euro 2024, we spoke to Italian football journalist Eleonora Trotta to get the lowdown on Jorginho’s role within the team.
Read through her thoughts in the preview below.
Jorginho’s role
“Jorginho was unlucky with Italy because he missed an important penalty [against Switzerland in a crucial World Cup qualifier], so for him it was a difficult moment, but with Luciano Spalletti, he is now at the centre of the project as the perfect playmaker. Spalletti loves Jorginho and this now starts a new era for him.
“Spalletti loves beautiful football and Jorginho is perfect for that idea. In Italy now, we have a lot of trust in Jorginho. We know that, also thanks to Arsenal, last year Jorginho was really good. He is now the player that we know, the player that concentrates with a good technique and a good mind.
"He's a leader again and the fans think Jorginho could be really good with Spalletti"
“We saw this year he improved a lot. At the end of the season, he got a new contract with Arsenal. For a lot of Italians, it was a big thing but we know that a new contract with Arsenal was the first choice. It’s really difficult to sign him. We interviewed Jorginho's agent and he says Arsenal is always the first choice, even if he likes Italy because he played here a lot with Hellas Verona and Napoli.
“I really love Jorginho. He became a super player in Napoli because he had Maurizio Sarri, who is a trainer like Spalletti who allows beautiful football. That is perfect for Arsenal as well.”
Competition for his position
“The position is for the perfect playmaker. Spalletti plays with one or two of them. Last year he won the Scudetto with Napoli and they played the best football in Italy, maybe in the world, because he had this idea. There is really a good feeling between Spalletti and Jorginho.
“Now he’s in a really good moment. Thanks to Spalletti, he can do a really good job. He had a problem with a penalty and the fans were not so happy with him, but now he’s a leader again and Italian fans think that Jorginho could be a really good player with Spalletti.”
What would be a successful tournament
“It’s difficult to say because we won the Euros with Roberto Mancini. A good result could be a semi-final, but we know that it’s really difficult. Our journey is not so easy.”
More in our expert view series: Leandro Trossard | Jakub Kiwior | Kai Havertz
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