Adin Licina lifted the best Serie B talent award at the first Gianluca Vialli Awards, a neat marker of how quickly the former Bayern München youth player has settled in Italy. He left Bayern on a free transfer, and a 30 percent sell-on clause means the club still has a stake in what happens next. His market value has already risen from around €1.8 million to €10 million.

Licina's route through Juventus and Cremonese

Licina said the move away from Bayern fits a wider truth about young players trying to break through. Speaking to SPORT1 in comments translated from German, he said: "The path into professional football is individual for everyone. Some make it directly, some via a loan and others not at all - so there is no predetermined path."

That route took him through Juventus Next Gen before his summer loan to Cremonese, where both Italian clubs have already had reasons to like what they saw. Juventus coach Massimo Brambilla called him "a player with special abilities", while Cremonese sporting director Christian Botturi described him as "an extremely promising talent, both technically and creatively."

The start that put him on the radar

The early evidence at Cremonese has been more than decent. On his debut, he finished off a lovely one-two with a chip and helped beat Parma Calcio in a cup upset. In his first Serie B game, he had two goal involvements and won man of the match.

Cremonese scored 32 league goals in Serie A in 2025, so a creative teenager standing out quickly is hardly a mystery. Fabio Pecchia called Licina a "natural talent" after that start, and Italian coverage has already leaned into the same idea. Licina then had an operation after breaking his wrist at the beginning of October, so the timing of his return is uncertain.

Bayern will not get a cheque unless a future transfer comes along, but the structure is there if Licina keeps climbing. His award in Italy gives the clause some real relevance, and the next step will be his recovery from the wrist injury before Cremonese see him again.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →