Following on from Toni Duggan’s switch to Barcelona, Lucy Bronze’s move to Lyon and Katie Zelem’s transfer to Juventus, teenager, Ellie Brazil has become the next English international to make a summer move to mainland Europe having signed for Italian champions, Fiorentina.
Impressive 2017
At just 18, Brazil has already shown herself to be one of England’s emerging talents, a solid U19 Euro Championships this summer the sequel to an impressive Spring Series with Birmingham City. Although Brazil’s success hasn’t been over-night, the Nottingham native a stand-out for England at the U17 World Cup in Jordan last year, 2017 has been her break-through year.
Repaying the faith show in her by new coach, Marc Skinner, Brazil immediately fell into pace with the comparatively young Birmingham team. Unperturbed by whoever the team faced and even earning a start in the FA Cup final at Wembley in front of a record 35,000 crowd, Brazil looked right at home in the WSL 1 side.
New surroundings
Whilst English fans won’t get to see the rangy forward in the league this year (nor next, the teenager having signed a two-year contract), she will be in good company with current Serie A champions, Fiorentina boasting a number of teenagers in their squad. From Italians Danila Zazzera and Alice Tortelli to new signings, Précillia Rinaldi, Greis Domi and Océane Daniel, coaches Sauro Fattori and Antonio Cincotta have shown no problem with giving starts to players they deem good enough, no matter their age.
Whilst Serie A isn’t the most competitive league in Europe, teams like Fiorentina and newly founded Juventus will aid in pushing the league up the rankings, more men’s teams expected to invest in women’s sides. Much like Bronze, Duggan and Zelem (who Brazil will run into over the course of the season, as well as Emma Lipman at Verona), the teenager will benefit greatly from different surroundings, new playing styles as well as everything that comes with playing in a one of a kind Italian culture that could never be replicated anywhere else.
News sourced from fiorentina.it and calciofemminileitaliano.it