Emerson and El Shaarawy join up with Italy training camp

For Emerson it is his first call-up with the Azzurri group, as he and teammate El Shaarawy joined a collection of 23 young players that have attracted Ventura's attention this season.

The group ranges from emerging young talents to more senior players currently outside the national squad, with the camp designed to familiarise them with the Azzurri way of working so they are best-prepared for a potential future call-up.

Brazilian-born Emerson's recent form for the Giallorossi has seen him enter the frame for Italy, being eligible for the team through his grandparents.

“It was an amazing feeling, especially given no one expected me to play at the start of the season," Emerson said recently about his potential call-up.

"I’m honoured to have my name touted for such a prestigious national team.”

Squad for April Italy camp:

Goalkeepers: Alex Meret (Spal), Simone Scuffet (Udinese).

Defenders: Claude Adjapong (Sassuolo), Cristiano Biraghi (Pescara), Davide Calabria (Milan), Federico Ceccherini (Crotone), Cristian Dall’Orco (Sassuolo), Emerson Palmieri (Roma), Gian Marco Ferrari (Crotone), Rolando Mandragora (Juventus), Filippo Romagna (Brescia).

Midfielders: Daniele Baselli (Torino), Danilo Cataldi (Genoa), Manuel Locatelli (Milan), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Sassuolo).

Forwards: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina), Federico Di Francesco (Bologna), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Andrea Favilli (Ascoli), Diego Falcinelli (Crotone), Gianluca Lapadula (Milan), Andrea Petagna (Atalanta).