PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising FC announced on Thursday it had signed midfielder Giulio Doratiotto ahead of the 2024 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Doratiotto spent the past two seasons with Juventus U-19s in the Campionato Primavera 1, the U-19 league for clubs playing in the Italian Serie A. Doratiotto made 28 appearances for Juventus U-19s since his debut in 2021.

“I learned a bit about Phoenix Rising when the team visited Turin in the offseason,” said Doratiotto. “I’ve always been fascinated by America and the NBA and NFL. I was looking for a new opportunity to show people my ability and quality.

“My playing style is creative. I play with imagination and like to create something out of nothing. I am versatile and can play as an eight, but anywhere in the middle of the field. Depending on the formation, I am also comfortable playing as a 10.”

The 19-year-old has been capped once by the Italian U-19 Men’s National Team, having also competed at the U-16 and U-18 levels. Since he was a 15-year-old, Doratiotto was able to train with Juventus’ first team on several occasions, putting him alongside some of the biggest names in the game over the past four years.

“I went to Juventus as a 14-year-old after spending my time as a youth player with Pordenone,” said Doratiotto. “Juventus was a five-hour commute for me, so I had to leave home at a very young age to chase my dream. Fortunately, I’ve had a lot of amazing experiences with Juventus. It has made me the person and player I am today. I feel I matured very quickly. That has helped me serve as the captain for some youth sides during my time at Juventus.

“I’ve been fortunate to be able to train with players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Dybala and Matuidi, who at the time had just come from winning a World Cup with France. To be able to practice with the first team and gain that level of experience has been amazing.”

“Giulio is a talented young player who will bring with him a high level of technical ability,” said Phoenix Rising Assistant Coach Danny Stone. “He is well suited to the Phoenix Rising philosophy. His playing style will complement our team well. He can link play from midfield, showing strong intelligence and vision of the game around him.”

“He comes from a top-level club in Juventus. He is used to operating within an environment with high standards of performance. We have no doubt that he brings with him a competitive mentality. We look forward to welcoming him to the Phoenix Rising family.”

Analysis

Coming on the heels of Rising FC’s signing of 20-year-old center back Pape Mar Boye, the arrival of Giulio Doratiotto is another indicator of the club’s move to acquiring top-caliber young talent that not only has the potential to deliver on the field in short order, but that the club can develop into top-level talent in the future.

Doratiotto will arrive in an experienced midfield that is also set to return the likes of Panamanian international Carlos Harvey and the experienced Renzo Zambrano. Just as with Boye, the 19-year-old will be one to keep a close eye on this coming season.