Inter Milan`s experienced midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has voiced his concerns about the intense pressure being placed on young Italian talent Francesco Pio Esposito. The 20-year-old striker, who recently made his debut for the Italian national team, has been attracting significant attention.
Esposito, a product of Inter`s youth academy, has returned to the club after a two-year loan spell at Spezia. He now joins the attacking options alongside new signing Ange-Yoan Bonny. Mkhitaryan, drawing from his wealth of experience, shared some advice for the young forwards:
“I`ve advised them privately to be more selfish. Strikers need to have this mentality because they`re ultimately judged by their goal tally. While they should continue supporting the team as they do, it`s their scoring that will be most crucial,” Mkhitaryan explained in an interview.
The Armenian international emphasized the importance of goal-scoring for forwards: “I constantly remind them: `You`re the ones who need to win matches for us.` I can assist with tactical aspects, but it`s their responsibility to put in the work and find the back of the net. They have a promising present, but an even brighter future lies ahead, especially given their professional conduct.”
However, Mkhitaryan expressed particular concern about the expectations surrounding Esposito: “Yes, there`s too much pressure, and I`m not comfortable with it. He`s only 20 with great potential, but he needs time to develop. We must be careful not to exaggerate expectations, or we risk harming his progress. Each player needs to follow their own path of development. I`m confident that Italy will soon benefit from this talented player.”