Arsenal came in to Vito Mannone’s life at just the right time and the young goalkeeper is keen to make sure that the relationship is an enduring one.
The 17 year-old Italian joined the Gunners on a professional contract from Atalanta in the summer, but when he first heard of Arsenal’s interest it helped lift the spirits during a difficult period for the Mannone family: "My father had died a month before and so to hear that Arsenal were interested in signing me was just the news to bring some happiness to us.
"I couldn’t believe it when my agent told me. It was a bit of a shock because I was playing for such a young team, but it felt so right. It was always my father’s dream that I would become a professional footballer at a club like Arsenal. It is for him that I am going to do everything I can to fulfil that dream," promises Vito.
The youngster was first spotted by Arsenal scouts a couple of seasons ago when he was playing for Atalanta in a tournament against Parma. "I believe the Arsenal scouts were there to watch Arturo Lupoli play," Vito explains, "but I seem to have attracted their attention too".
Vito and his mother moved to England and now live in Enfield. They have relatives and friends amongst the Italian community in London and the young Gunner has settled in very well, particularly as he has acquired an impressive grip on English: "I had lessons at school in Italy and I have had a teacher since I arrived. I feel comfortable with the language and I especially enjoy the football here.
"Everyone knows that the tempo and rhythm is faster and the game is more physical than in Italy. Even for a goalkeeper you can notice the difference. I have to think quicker, anticipate better and be strong when going for crosses, as strikers like to make contact. Those aspects are very important and we work on them in training whereas in Italy more time is spent on technical work," he reports.
Vito has played in the Under-18s, FA Youth Cup and Reserves and was in the first team squad for the pre-season fixture against Barnet and went on the tour to Austria: "It was great for me. Coming from a young team and going with the first team squad, it was very exciting and I felt I learnt a lot from it. I was excited the first time I trained with the first team," he recalls, "to be facing players like Thierry Henry, Jose Antonio Reyes and Dennis Bergkamp was very special and to play well against them gave me a lot of confidence, because they are big players."
The young Gunner, who is an Italian Youth International, is clearly not short on inspiration. Be it realising his late father’s dream or the example set by Italy’s ‘numero uno’ Gianluigi Buffon, Arsenal appear to have unearthed a gem of a ‘keeper who has the drive and talent to succeed: "I want to become Arsenal’s number one and I know that means I have a lot of work to do and a lot to learn and I feel I am at the best club to fulfil my ambition. Whether I am with the Under-18s, Reserves or first team it is great for me because I feel that I am learning all the time. We have a good standard running throughout the club and I feel that I am improving all the time," concludes the youngster.
Quite predictably Vito’s goalkeeping icon is Juventus’ Gianluigi Buffon, what is less predictable is the reasoning behind the youngster’s choice. Many would have pointed to the Italian’s agility or instinct, Vito puts Buffon’s head before his hands: "I am most impressed by his mental approach. He is always switched on. He is able to keep focused during games, but I also admire the way he handles himself off the pitch.
He is the best goalkeeper in the world and has remained disciplined and able to give his best since the day he made his Serie A debut at the same age as I am now. He didn’t let things affect him then and he seems to have the same attitude now. Buffon is the best, but he works as hard now as he did when he first began, and that is inspiring for me," declares Vito.
那位厉害的天才来具体翻一下，官网的，是介绍我们年轻门将马诺尼的，里面我看到了布冯的字眼，来头不小啊
