A record 21 British players are currently plying their trade in Italian Serie A, surpassing any previous season. The influx includes England internationals such as John Stones, Djed Spence, and Curtis Jones at Inter, as well as Scott McTominay at Napoli. This wave follows a historical pattern that began with former soldier Charles Adcock, who moved to Padova after the second world war, and includes legendary names like Jimmy Greaves, Ray Wilkins, David Beckham, Paul Gascoigne, and Kyle Walker.
Historical Context and the Modern Surge
In the 80 years after Adcock's move, more than 50 English players have featured in Serie A. The 1980s saw high-profile moves by Trevor Francis, the first £1m player, who joined Sampdoria in 1982, and Mark Hateley and Ray Wilkins, who spent three seasons at Milan in the mid-1980s. Gascoigne was the big English star in the 1990s, joined by journeymen like Franz Carr and Danny Dichio. However, at any time during those decades, only a handful of Englishmen played in Serie A, compared to the 15 now with Italian clubs.
Adam Summerton, commentator for TNT's Serie A coverage, attributes the current trend to several factors. “It’s multifaceted,” he says. “It starts with the trailblazers. Someone like Liam Henderson, who’s been in Italy since 2018. Chris Smalling was another in 2019.” Smalling spent five years at Roma and was player of the match when they won the inaugural Conference League final in 2022 under José Mourinho.
Scottish Influence and Changing Attitudes
Summerton notes that Italian sporting directors value the attributes of British players. “Italian sporting directors have said how they really value the hard work, professionalism and tenacity of Scottish players in particular,” he says. “They have also developed a reputation for being good in the dressing room – that’s really appealing when you’re building a team.”
Scottish players have improved the perception of British football in Italy. Lewis Ferguson, who moved to Bologna in 2022, was voted Serie A midfielder of the season in 2023-24 and was the club's captain when they beat Milan in the Coppa Italia final last year. Following Ferguson's success, McTominay joined Napoli and won the Serie A player of the season award as the club won their first league title since the days of Diego Maradona.
Summerton also believes attitudes have changed. “The world has become a smaller place, and the modern player seems more likely to see opportunity rather than difficulty in the challenges that come with playing abroad. Players often talk about becoming more mature and more rounded for the experience, both as people and players,” he says. “Many are aiming to embrace culture, language and even food. Scott McTominay’s appreciation of Neapolitan tomatoes has become well-known.”
Technical Development and Economic Factors
Players also appreciate the rich traditions of Italian football. “Fikayo Tomori has talked about looking at the Milan badge on his tracksuit every day and taking such pride playing for the great Milan,” Summerton says. Tomori made a concerted effort to learn the language and was soon conducting interviews in Italian after joining the club in 2020.
Coaching at Premier League academies has advanced to produce technically adept players who suit Serie A. One example is Omari Hutchinson, who was part of Chelsea's academy and has just moved to Milan on loan from Nottingham Forest. Summerton points to the economic imbalance as a driver: “Good players who might be on the fringes of a Premier League side see Italy as a chance to be a more important player in a big league with a big-name club.”
The English invasion is best summed up by Inter, who signed Curtis Jones from Liverpool this summer to join Spence and Stones. Prior to their arrival, the club had only signed three English players in their history: Gerry Hitchens in 1961, Paul Ince in 1995, and Ashley Young in 2020. Stones expressed his delight: “I have so many emotions. I’m really happy, proud and excited. I couldn’t imagine a better place to do it.”
Early Impressions and Future Prospects
Summerton is optimistic about Jones's impact. “The early signs from Jones are good,” he says. “He’s a profile of player that Cristian Chivu, the Inter coach, really wanted.” His performance for Liverpool against Inter in the Champions League last season sowed the seed. Summerton also praises Trevoh Chalobah, who is playing in the Champions League for Como: “He’s walked into one of the most exciting projects in world football right now at Como. Cesc Fàbregas is doing tremendous work there. He has started the season really well and they are already strong defensively.”
Chalobah, who trained with Fàbregas at Chelsea, notes, “I remember how demanding he was with the younger players. I know him really well.” As Summerton concludes, “He gets to live next to Lake Como and play Champions League football too. There’s a lot to like.”
