Francesco Camarda, considered one of the greatest hopes of Italian football, has been officially loaned to Lecce by AC Milan since July 7. This loan is accompanied by a purchase option in favor of the Puglia club, but especially a crucial clause: a counter-shop option allowing the Lombard club to repatriate its jewel if it was exploding in its new colors. A way for Milan to allow his young attacker of 17 years to accumulate playing time and experience in Serie A, while keeping his hand on his future. Trained at the club since the age of 9, Camarda has climbed the ladder with an impressive regularity, chaining records in the categories of young people. He notably became, on November 25, 2023, the youngest player in history to wear the AC Milan jersey in the official match, at only 15 years and 260 days, during a meeting against Fiorentina in San Siro. This historic moment has definitely placed it under the spotlight. Since his arrival in Lecce, Camarda has not longed to stand out. In less than a month, during the summer preparation course in the Trentino Alto Adige, he has already seduced the technical staff, starting with the coach Eusebio Di Francesco.
“I am number new; Playing in the penalty area is my daily life. I also try to progress outside the surface. I consider myself a hard worker, I try to improve myself every day and I aspire to do always better. I want to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. The club has placed such self -confidence, and I want to give it the same. I will give everything for this club and for supporters. The future will depend on the present. This year, I focus on myself. I will work hard to improve and for the team. We have a goal, and we want to reach it at all costs. Milan is a second house, but now I think of the present and Lecce. When I heard about interest, I was ready to listen to. Then the director Corvino spoke to me, making me understand that Lecce focused on young players, and that gave me a huge boost to come here. I build a good relationship with everyone. Over time, we will become closer and closer ”. And it didn't take many days to kick the rotation and worry Nikola Krstović, the flagship striker of the Salentini.
The Camarda show begins!
Aligned three times in friendly matches, the young center-forward did not tremble in front of more experienced defenses: he scored five goals in three games, displaying a composure and a sense of the rare goal for his age. Its mobility, its ability to take the depth and its scorer instinct marked the spirits, to the point that some observers do not exclude a tenure from the first days of the championship. LECCE, which made youth a key component of its sports project, seems to be the ideal environment to allow Camarda to cross a new CAP, while remaining in the attentive viewfinder of Milan, ready to activate its return clause in the event of confirmation at the highest level: “It is good to hear the statistics, but the figures are the result of teamwork. An attacker needs the team behind him, otherwise it would not be so important. I don't feel any pressure, I live calmly, I never change attitude. I adapt quickly to the pace. The transition from the training center to Futuro Milan and Serie A was a big step forward; It took me a while to get used to it. The series is a difficult championship, with a lot of physical contact. Technically, Serie A is of another level, but the series is more physically demanding, there is less space and less opportunities to shine. The key to adapt to the pace this year will be training, even against players like Baschirotto and Gaspar, who are physically devastating. It will help me a lot. Last year with Milan, I trained against players like Gabbia and Tomori. The rhythm and the level must be raised. We progress in training and we put into practice what we learn in a match. »»
Barely arrived in Lecce, Francesco Camarda already displays an impressive maturity. Confident and determined, the young Milanese prodigy expressed himself lucidly on his choice and his ambitions: “First and foremost, my family. They have always supported me and I always listen to their advice; They are precious. Other people have also advised me, coaches to other teammates. I made the decision to come to Lecce myself, with the help of my agent. Lecce trusted me entirely and immediately expressed his interest. It made me happy and motivated me to come here. I have nothing special to ask. My teammates are strong, but situations on the ground are different. It is the principles of the coach and your qualities that matter. I just ask that the group remains united and that we always advance together. Here, in Lecce, I am treated as the professional that I am. Some of my peers may not be able to demonstrate their skills, for lack of tools. Personally, here in Lecce, I will have the opportunity to show myself. Here they know how to work with young players; Their average age is that of the youngest team of Serie A. I know that I will have the opportunity to show myself ”. Francesco Camarda overflows with ambition and knows exactly why he chose Lecce: to grow, play, and prove his value.
