Keep an eye on Francesco Pio Esposito, Inter`s emerging forward. He scored the crucial first goal in Inter`s 2-0 triumph over River Plate, securing their spot in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 on Wednesday. Esposito progressed through the Italian giants` youth academy from the age of eight until 2023 and has previously trained under Inter`s current coach, Cristian Chivu. He then spent two seasons on loan at Spezia (2023-24 and 2024-25), where he demonstrated his abilities by scoring 22 goals in 79 appearances. This strong performance ensured Inter always monitored his progress with the intention of bringing him back, viewing him as a potential future standout player.
Born in 2005 and nearing his 20th birthday, Pio Esposito`s decisive goal against River Plate suggests his moment might have arrived, marking a significant impact in his first appearance back with his boyhood club.
Esposito is the youngest of three brothers, all of whom developed within the Inter system. While Sebastiano, who also played for Inter from 2019 to 2020 under Antonio Conte and is part of the current FIFA Club World Cup squad, is anticipated to depart the Nerazzurri in the summer of 2025, and Salvatore is currently with Spezia, Pio`s situation remains undecided. After returning from his loan spell at Spezia, there were speculations he might join a Serie A team on loan for the upcoming 2025-26 season to gain more regular playing time. However, his goal against River Plate could significantly alter his immediate prospects at the club.
Furthermore, Chivu is arguably the coach who knows him best. With the former 2010 Champions League winner taking charge of the Italian giants to replace Simone Inzaghi, Pio Esposito might carve out a role in the current squad. This is despite Inter likely planning to bring in at least one more striker following the departures of Joaquin Correa and Marko Arnautovic, compounded by uncertainty surrounding Mehdi Taremi`s future.
The primary attacking options for the team remain captain Lautaro Martinez and French international Marcus Thuram. Ange-Yoan Bonny, currently at Parma, is reportedly expected to join the Nerazzurri as another backup forward option, potentially alongside Taremi if he stays. In recent years, Inter has sometimes lacked robust alternatives when their two starting strikers were unavailable, which is why Pio Esposito could potentially emerge as an unforeseen answer to this problem.
The focus now shifts to him, and time will reveal if he can consistently perform at the highest level, as he did flawlessly against River Plate. He made a strong impression, not solely for his goal which highlighted his talent, but also for his effective ball retention and tireless work rate for the team throughout the match, until his brother Sebastiano came on in the 83rd minute. Pio Esposito has showcased his ability, just as he did at Spezia, but the key question was whether he could replicate that impact at Inter – and so far, he has. Inter`s management and coach Chivu now face a difficult decision regarding his next step. Should he be loaned out again to gain more experience before a permanent return, or is this the right moment to challenge him at the elite level with all the accompanying pressure? Based on his initial appearances for the club, Esposito appears prepared to remain.
