Gaetano D'Agostino Italian footballer, midfielder Date of Birth: 03.06.1982 Country: Italy

1. Early Career
2. Roma Debut and Loan Spells
3. Return to Roma and Sale to Messina
4. Success at Udinese
5. Transfer Speculation and Departure from Udinese
6. International Career

Early Career

Gaetano D'Agostino, an Italian footballer, began his journey in the Palermo youth academy, showcasing his exceptional talent by scoring over 100 goals in a single season. His impressive performance caught the attention of Roma scouts, leading to his move to the capital club's academy at 16.

Roma Debut and Loan Spells

Under the guidance of renowned managers Carlo Zeman and Fabio Capello, D'Agostino frequently trained with the Roma first team. He made his Serie A debut against Brescia in 2000, contributing to Roma's championship victory that season. However, he failed to establish himself in the team, leading to a 50% share of his rights being transferred to Bari as part of a deal for Antonio Cassano.

At Bari, D'Agostino played 70 matches over two seasons, helping the team maintain its Serie B status. Concurrently, he represented Italy at various youth levels, including the Italy U-21 team, with which he won the 2004 European Championship.

Return to Roma and Sale to Messina

In 2003, D'Agostino returned to Roma and featured sporadically during the 2003-2004 season. Unable to secure a regular spot, he was sold to Messina, which had recently returned to Serie A. "Honestly, I thought I could make it at Roma, but it didn't work out," he lamented after the transfer.

Success at Udinese

D'Agostino's talent flourished at Messina, where he played 42 matches and scored 5 goals. In the summer of 2006, Udinese acquired his rights. He quickly became a first-team regular, forming a formidable midfield partnership with Gokhan Inler.

The 2008-2009 season proved to be D'Agostino's breakthrough, as he played 36 matches and displayed remarkable goalscoring prowess, netting 11 goals. Operating as a playmaker and set-piece specialist, he became Serie A's assist leader for the 2007-2008 season.

Transfer Speculation and Departure from Udinese

In December 2008, D'Agostino was close to joining Rubin Kazan, while in the summer of 2009, he was linked with moves to Juventus and Real Madrid. However, both clubs deemed Udinese's asking price too high, opting for other players instead. D'Agostino later expressed his contentment with staying at Udinese: "I don't regret staying at Udinese; this is my home, where I feel good; my conscience is clear."

On June 7, 2010, D'Agostino left Udinese for Fiorentina after the latter acquired half of his playing rights. He featured in 20 matches and scored once in his final season with Udinese.

International Career

In 2004, D'Agostino was part of Italy's U-21 European Championship-winning team. Despite being called up to the senior national team by Marcello Lippi in 2008, he made his debut only on June 6, 2009, in a friendly against Northern Ireland.