Cesare Casadei

Cesare Casadei was born on 10 January 2003 in Ravenna, Italy, and grew up in Milano Marittima. He started his football journey at Cervia before moving to Cesena. When Cesena went bankrupt in 2018, he joined Inter Milan, where he rapidly progressed through the youth ranks. Casadei helped Inter’s U17 team win the national championship in 2019 and later became a key figure for the U19 squad.

In 2021, The Guardian named him in its prestigious “Next Generation” list, highlighting the most promising young talents worldwide. By 2022, he was on the verge of breaking into Inter’s senior team while playing a crucial role in their U19 title-winning campaign in the Campionato Primavera 1.

Club Career

Chelsea U21 and Loan to Reading

On 19 August 2022, Chelsea signed Casadei from Inter Milan for a reported €15 million plus €5 million in add-ons. Initially assigned to the U21 team, he made his debut in an EFL Trophy match against Sutton United, where he received a red card. However, he quickly found his form, scoring a stunning long-range goal against Peterborough United that was voted Chelsea’s Goal of the Month.

Seeking senior experience, Casadei joined Championship club Reading on loan in January 2023. He made his professional debut on 4 February in a 2–2 draw against Watford and netted his first goal for the club on 15 March in a loss to Blackburn Rovers. Unfortunately, Reading suffered relegation that season.

Loan to Leicester City

On 15 August 2023, Casadei moved to Leicester City on loan for the 2023–24 season. He made an instant impact, scoring the match-winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Cardiff City on his debut.

Return to Chelsea

Chelsea recalled Casadei on 19 January 2024, and he made his senior debut for the club on 31 January, coming on as a substitute in a 4–1 Premier League defeat to Liverpool.

Torino Move

On 2 February 2025, Casadei signed for Serie A club Torino, marking his return to Italy for a fresh chapter in his career.

International Career

Casadei has represented Italy across multiple youth levels. He featured in the 2022 UEFA U19 European Championship, where Italy reached the semi-finals. He later made his Italy U21 debut in November 2022 in a friendly against Germany.

His standout moment came at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he won both the Golden Ball (best player) and Golden Boot (top scorer with 7 goals). Despite Italy finishing as runners-up to Uruguay, Casadei’s performances made him one of the tournament’s brightest stars.

Playing Style

Casadei is a complete midfielder, combining physical strength with technical ability. Comfortable in multiple midfield roles, he excels at off-the-ball movement, shooting, and heading, making him a constant goal threat. His defensive work includes pressing opponents and engaging in duels.

Often compared to Massimo Ambrosini and Sergej Milinković-Savić, Casadei has cited Nicolò Barella, Marcelo Brozović, Radja Nainggolan, Javier Zanetti, and Federico Valverde as inspirations.

Personal Life

Casadei’s brother, Ettore, plays collegiate soccer for the Florida Institute of Technology.