"Pogba is the Best Youngster!" - Pirlo

Andrea Pirlo hailed former Juventus team-mate Paul Pogba
as the best young prospect he has seen throughout his
career.

The pair featured alongside one another under Antonio Conte as Juve claimed three successive Scudetti between 2013 and 2015, before Pirlo left for New York City last year.

Pogba departed Manchester United in 2012 after refusing to
sign a new contract and was snapped up by the Turin
giants.

The young Frenchman immediately impressed the World
Cup-winning midfielder, who feels he is continuing to
improve as he develops physically.

"Pogba is the best youngster I have seen. We understood he
was a great player from his first training session," Pirlo told
La Gazzetta dello Sport .

"He was skinny but his legs allowed him to be everywhere.
Now he is bigger and stronger."

Pogba came to be seen as Pirlo's heir in the Juve midfield,
while Lazio's Danilo Cataldi and Marco Verratti of Paris
Saint-Germain have received a similar tag in relation to the
national team.

However, Pirlo disagrees with such suggestions, adding:

"Cataldi is different as he is more of a box-to-box midfielder.

"Verratti isn't like me either, but he is a player that can play
in the national team for the next 20 years."

The 36-year-old also questioned the attitude of young
players in the modern game, suggesting many are more
interest in the limelight than pushing for success.

"Now a youngster trains with the first team and they think
they have made it. The most important thing is to be there
and take pictures," said Pirlo.

"There are some [who are more professional]. [Juventus
defender] Daniele Rugani is one, while [Fiorentina forward]
Federico Bernardeschi is a serious professional, though I
don't know him as well.

"People say that youngsters don't play in Italy but look at
[16-year-old AC Milan goalkeeper] Gianluigi Donnarumma.
If you are good enough, you will play."