Can Socceroos secure services of AS Roma star Cristian Volpato ahead of FIFA World Cup in Qatar?

Considering that Australia has been starved of a generational football talent since the days of Tim Cahill and Mark Viduka, it should be easy to spot a diamond in the rough, right?

Think again. No fewer than two A-League clubs have ever had Cristian Volpato under their roof. Both clubs let the Australian prodigy slip through their grasp.

Now the Socceroos face a fierce battle to secure the services of the fledgling gun, now AS Roma, with European champions Italy lurking.

Cristian Volpato makes name in Italy after being snubbed in Australia

The 18-year-old scored the decisive goal for Roma last month to beat Serie A rival Verona

A budding talent, the 18-year-old was released by Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers after growing up in the neighboring suburb of Camperdown.

But the Italian scouts did not overlook Volpato’s undeniable quality, with famed coach Fabrizio Piccareta inviting the Australian to the country’s capital, where he earned a trial period at the AS Roma academy.

Unsurprisingly, Volpato impressed. The Serie A giants tied him to a three-year professional contract, a clear sign of support for the young gun. Seniors from Sydney and WSW could only look on in amazement.

So too, sure, were the Socceroos. The Azzurri identified that here was a boy from Sydney, rejected by the country of his birth, looking for a place to call home. And the Italians were willing to put an arm around Volpato, who gratefully accepted a call to represent the Europeans at the junior level.

There is still hope, however, as the 18-year-old has yet to speak out for both countries. But he is likely to be expected to make a decision soon as he makes his name at the top of the Italian national game.

Jose Mourinho is obviously a difficult man to impress. Over the course of his illustrious career, the Portuguese has developed a reputation for being skeptical of young players, choosing to put his trust in more established, experienced players.

Volpato was previously under the roof of two A-League academies but was released

Just ask Kevin de Bruyne, Mo Salah and Marcus Rashford. All three struggled immensely to win the favor of the perennial trophy winner, forcing the Belgian and Egyptian to restart their careers elsewhere.

But the Portuguese sees something in the boy from Camperdown. The 18-year-old was put in the spotlight on Monday against Verona, with Roma looking for a late winner.

And Volpato duly delivered, stroking the ball from the edge of the penalty area into the back of the net, before putting it on a board for teammate Stephan El Shaarawy to seal a 3-1 win.

“This season, after having a taste of the first team, he signed a contract extension and now he is a quality player in the first team. He is young, he still has a lot to learn every day, but he is already at the required level,” Mourinho said beaming after the game.

He has found a home in Italy and has won the trust of head coach Jose Mourinho

The 18-year-old has represented Italy at junior level, but has yet to declare himself for a country

“When I put it in, I wasn’t crazy or taking an absurd risk. I wasn’t sure if he would score the winning goal, but I knew he was capable of it.’

As for Australia, well, Graham Arnold is understood to be in regular contact with Volpato, although it may take some hard work to convince the young gun to pledge for the Socceroos.

Volpato angered Socceroos fans earlier this year when he sent a smiling emoji on Snapchat shortly after Australia was beaten by Japan in World Cup qualifiers.

Socceroos boss Graham Arnold said the decision rests with Volpato and his family. and has kept his cards about this close to his chest

Still, a lot of water has flowed under that bridge, with Australia now only focused on the World Cup and an incredibly difficult group with France, Denmark and Tunisia.

For what it’s worth, Arnold insists he won’t throw himself at Volpato to persuade him to play for Australia, and he is considered a contender to be part of the 26-man roster for Qatar, who will play in November is announced 8.

“I don’t like to just cut people down and tie them up for life — it’s Cristian’s decision and that of his family,” Arnold told News Corp.

Volpato could be an exciting part of Australia’s future, and he has a huge decision to make

“We’re watching him, we’re watching him, we’re talking to him.

“The most important thing is that Cristian makes the decision about what feels right for him.

“I would love to see Cristian play for Australia, but the conversation is about what he wants to do and what his family wants.”

But the cogs will definitely turn in the coach’s head. Australia has long struggled to nurture the caliber of a player who won the hearts and minds of the nation in 2006, but with Garang Kuol sealing a move to Newcastle and Volpato thriving in the Italian capital, there are certainly building blocks for a promising future .

To give that dream a chance to become a reality, Arnold needs a simple three-letter answer: “Yes.”