The second season, the one where you have to prove yourself, is usually the toughest. Especially when it comes to keeping up a high goal tally. The 19 goals scored last year in the Jupiler League earned Nicolo Tresoldi the title of top scorer in the Belgian league, which was won by his own Club Brugge.
A lifelong Milan fan like his grandfather, the 2004-born striker has, for now, embraced the colours of Inter's rivals by wearing the black and blue of the Belgian side, who put their full trust in him over a year ago by signing him from Hannover in Germany's second division.
Today, the Italian-German forward is rightly on the radar of top clubs - there has been interest from Arsenal and Roma - but he is fully focused on doing even better with Brugge.
His attitude is not just about gratitude towards a club that launched him into top-level football, but also the awareness that he still needs to develop further in an environment where he can grow calmly. He will turn 22 on August 20, and he certainly has plenty of time to make his breakthrough.
Goals in his blood
As reigning champion of the Jupiler League, he is the one tasked with leading the Blauw en Zwart to another domestic triumph. And to another strong campaign in the Champions League, where he already shone on his debut. Despite the departure of attacking partner Christos Tzolis and close friend, midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic, Tresoldi now has another year of experience and greater confidence in his abilities.
On the two occasions when I had the chance to interview him exclusively for Flashscore, I found a humble and open-minded young man who, despite dreaming of playing for a European giant, knows how to keep his feet on the ground.
He has a natural calmness that, combined with his hunger for goals and victories, is shaping him in the right environment to soon make the big leap. Now comes the opportunity to show the whole continent that he is a proven striker. The first spark came with his goal that gave his team the lead in the Super Cup, which was later won by Union Saint-Gilloise on penalties after Kevin Mac Allister equalised.
Between Germany and Italy
Having moved to Germany at the age of 12, Nicolo has always played in international tournaments with the German youth national team, while he has never even received a phone call from Italy. His situation is one of many in modern football, where players with dual or even triple nationality are common.
After the shake-up in Italian football's leadership, the arrival of Roberto Mancini as Italy's coach could bring some changes. The 2004-born striker is still eligible for a call-up since he has never played for Germany's senior team, but besides Pio Esposito, who is on the rise, with the Azzurri he could also be blocked by Moise Kean. And who knows, maybe Jurgen Klopp will decide to bet on him right away instead.
However, Tresoldi's priority remains Brugge, a club that has always believed in young players, but which has also invested heavily in Yann Sommer, the experienced goalkeeper who arrived from Inter. The Swiss will be one of the pillars of a team that has lost Simon Mignolet but can still count on Sommer for a season in which they will test their real ambitions. And up front, a striker aiming for his ultimate breakthrough. Always with a smile on the outside and huge determination within.