Tresoldi Delays Decision on Italy or Germany Future

Nicolo Tresoldi is not ready to choose. Not yet.

Several leading outlets in Italy report that the Club Brugge striker has pressed pause on committing his international future to the Azzurri, despite weeks of noise suggesting a decision was close.

In a meeting at the FIGC headquarters with new Italy coach Roberto Mancini and technical director Claudio Ranieri, the 22-year-old is said to have asked for more time and specifically requested not to be called up for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.

The message was clear: not now.

FIGC freezes switch as Tresoldi backs Germany U21s

Tresoldi wants to finish what he started with Germany’s Under-21s. He has been a regular there, and he intends to see out the current cycle before making the biggest call of his career.

Because of that stance, Gazzetta dello Sport and La Repubblica report that the FIGC has put his requested association switch with FIFA on ice. The paperwork is there. It just won’t be pushed through yet.

The timing is sensitive. At Club Brugge, Tresoldi is in form and under the spotlight. His performances have lit up the early part of the season and stirred not only transfer talk but also interest from multiple national associations.

The noise peaked at the end of August. Gazzetta reported that Tresoldi had chosen Italy. In Germany, Bild countered that he remained undecided. The reality now leans towards the latter: the forward is still weighing up his options.

A career shaped by three countries

Tresoldi’s story stretches across continents. Born in Cagliari to an Italian father and Argentinian mother, he spent his early childhood in Italy before moving to Germany at 13 with his family. There, he grew through the ranks at Hannover 96 and built the foundation of his professional career.

In 2025, Brugge stepped in, paying €7.5 million to bring him to Belgium. It has looked like smart business ever since.

On the international stage, Tresoldi has worn German colours from Under-19 level upwards. For the Under-21s, he has 12 goals in 24 appearances – a strong return that underpins his desire to complete this chapter properly before switching allegiance.

His form has travelled with him into this club season. On Tuesday, he scored in Brugge’s 3-2 Champions League defeat to Aston Villa, another reminder of his sharpness in front of goal. That strike took him to five goals in seven matches in all competitions this campaign.

Nagelsmann’s near-miss and Klopp’s looming call

Tresoldi’s rise has not gone unnoticed in Germany. After an outstanding first season in Brugge, he was seriously considered for Julian Nagelsmann’s World Cup squad. The former national coach later admitted that Tresoldi came very close to a call-up.

“He was really very close for a long time,” Nagelsmann said, describing him as a player “who has that special instinct in the penalty area”. It still wasn’t enough for that World Cup, but Nagelsmann made one thing clear: Tresoldi’s “time will come”.

That time might be approaching under a different boss. Nagelsmann stepped down after Germany’s disastrous World Cup campaign in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Jürgen Klopp has since taken over and will announce his first squad on 17 September.

Klopp has not publicly commented on Tresoldi yet. Silence, in this case, only adds to the intrigue. If the new coach moves for him, the equation changes again.

Italy rebuilds, Germany waits

While Germany resets under Klopp, Italy are undergoing their own reconstruction. Mancini is back in charge after the Azzurri once again failed to reach the World Cup finals, and he is reshaping a squad that badly needs fresh energy.

The upcoming Nations League window is important for that rebuild. Italy face Belgium on 25 September, France on 2 October and a double-header against Turkey on 28 September and 5 October.

Tresoldi will not be there. By his own request.

So the tug-of-war pauses, but it hardly ends. A prolific 22-year-old, forged in Italy, developed in Germany and flourishing in Belgium, is biding his time at the very moment both national teams are redefining themselves.

At some point, one shirt will win. The question is whether that decision comes before Klopp – or Mancini – decides for him.