Eleven years ago, on a snowy afternoon in Bergamo, Miralem Pjanić, clad in his white Roma kit that nearly vanished in the blizzard, curled in a memorable free kick. His leadership guided Roma to a significant victory against La Dea, marking the beginning of a prosperous era for the Giallorossi, with the Bosnian international orchestrating play.
However, his creative prowess was sacrificed for financial reasons, and Roma has since faced a chillier climate. Despite their contributions to Italy’s European coefficient, their fortunes have waned since Pjanić’s departure eight years ago, securing just two top-four finishes in Serie A.
The void left by Pjanić was never adequately filled, despite numerous directors, including the esteemed Monchi, attempting to bring in a central midfielder capable of setting the tempo, dictating play, and occasionally scoring from set pieces. Even Jose Mourinho attempted to address this gap by deploying Pellegrini in a double pivot role, but these players were seen as options rather than solutions.
Meanwhile, in France, Christophe Pelissier has established himself as a prominent figure in French football and can testify to the talents of Enzo Le Fée. Pelissier brought the teenage midfielder to Lorient, where he played a pivotal role in their 2019-20 Ligue 2 title triumph. Le Fée, known for his graceful dribbling and ability to deliver pinpoint passes over defensive lines, started 35 out of 38 matches that season, contributing to 11 goals, all while still in his teens.