Lucca Benetton is making headlines at Crystal Palace.
Calciomercato in Italy now claim that the 15-year-old wonderkid is the subject of a transfer battle between Juventus and Atalanta after impressing in south London, where he has already trained with the senior team at Copers Cope.
As two Italian giants fight for the Crystal Palace prodigy, let us take a more detailed look at Benetton.
Meet Lucca Benetton, the 15-year-old already playing U18 football at Crystal Palace
The Eagles have a rich history of producing talents from the academy, such as Wilfried Zaha, Victor Moses, Gareth Southgate and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Now, Benetton looks set to be next off the production line.
The teenager is already the subject of a fight between England and Italy, having made three appearances for the England U16 side before accepting a call into the Italy U16 team in January.
Lucca Benetton in action for England U16 side
Photo by Orhan cicek/Anadolu via Getty Images
Benetton then received another invite from Italy, but opted to stay with the England side.
Impressively, the Juventus target is already playing in the U18 Premier League for Crystal Palace at the age of just 15 as well – keeping one clean sheet so far.
As aforesaid, Benetton has even trained with the Crystal Palace first-team already and received praise from Dean Henderson, which speaks volumes about how he is viewed at Selhurst Park.
Besides his talent, Lucca Benetton seems mature beyond his years too
Not only is Benetton good with his hands, but he also understands the mental aspect of being a goalkeeper – speaking very well on the topic for a player so young when chatting to his former club Windsor & Eton.
The glovesman said: “I’d say my biggest strengths as a goalkeeper are my shot-stopping ability and my reflexes. I feel confident in one-on-one situations and have worked hard to stay calm under pressure, which helps me make quick decisions and react to shots effectively. Another strength is my communication and organisation at the back.
“I try to stay vocal throughout games, making sure my defenders know where to position themselves and keeping the team focused. Being a goalkeeper isn’t just about saving shots – it’s also about being a leader on the pitch, and I take pride in helping the team stay organised defensively.
“I also believe my distribution is a key strength. Whether it’s a short pass to start a play from the back or a long kick to create an attacking opportunity, I’ve worked hard to improve my accuracy and decision-making when playing out. Finally, my mindset is something I see as a big strength. Goalkeeping can be tough because mistakes can be costly, but I always stay positive and focused on the next action, no matter what happens.”
With unquestionable talent and a wise head on his young shoulders too, the sky is the limit for Benetton.