Riccardo Improta (born 19 December 1993) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Benevento.

Riccardo Improta
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-12-19) 19 December 1993 (age 30)
Place of birth Pozzuoli, Italy
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10+12 in)
Position(s) Winger, Forward
Team information
Current team
Benevento
Number 16
Youth career
Puteolana
2010–2011 Lanciano
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2012 Lanciano 10 (2)
2012Genoa (loan) 0 (0)
2012–2014 Genoa 0 (0)
2012–2013Juve Stabia (loan) 27 (6)
2013–2014Chievo (loan) 3 (0)
2014 Chievo 0 (0)
2014Padova (loan) 18 (7)
2014–2018 Genoa 0 (0)
2014–2015Bologna (loan) 16 (1)
2015–2016Cesena (loan) 2 (0)
2016–2017Salernitana (loan) 31 (2)
2017–2018Bari (loan) 36 (8)
2018– Benevento 70 (8)
International career
2012 Italy U19 6 (2)
2012–2014 Italy U20 7 (3)
2012–2014 Italy U21 6 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:22, 22 November 2020 (UTC)

His elder brothers Umberto and Giancarlo Improta are also professional footballers.[1]

Club career edit

Born in Pozzuoli, The Province of Naples, Campania, Riccardo Improta started his career at hometown club Puteolana. He was the member of Giovanissimi U15 team in 2007–08 season.[2] In 2008–09 season he was the member of Allievi Fascia B U16 team.[3] In 2009–10 season Improta promoted to Allievi U17 team.[4] All 3 teams competed in Campania regional youth league.

In 2010 Improta left for the reserve of Lega Pro Prima Divisione team Lanciano.

Lanciano edit

On 2 May 2011, Improta made his first team debut against Lucchese. Riccardo replaced Alessandro Volpe at half-time, while his brother, Umberto Improta was replaced by Mario Titone.[5] He was promoted to the first team in the 2011–12 Lega Pro Prima Divisione season, while Umberto left the club. Improta made a total of 10 appearances, seven of which were starts. On 18 January 2012, he left for Serie A club Genoa in a temporary deal.[6]

Genoa edit

Improta played for the Genoa reserve team in the Campionato Nazionale Primavera. He played 9 games and scored 1 goal in the second half of the 2011–12 season. He also played in the first round of the play-offs, losing to Fiorentina.

On 22 June 2012, Genoa excised the option to sign Improta outright, for €150,000.[7] He left for Gubbio's pre-season camp.[8] However, he was allowed to join Juve Stabia on 4 August 2012.[9]

On 2 July 2013, Improta left for Chievo on loan, with an option to buy.[10] In January 2014, Chievo bought him in a co-ownership deal for a peppercorn of €500.[11] However, he left for Padova immediately.[12]

In June 2014, Improta returned to Genoa for an undisclosed fee.[13]

On 1 September 2014, Improta left for Bologna.[14][15]

On 18 July 2015, Improta was signed by Cesena on a temporary basis.[16] On 19 August 2016, Improta left for Salernitana in another loan.[17] Before he left Genoa, he was assigned the number 16 shirt.[18]

On 11 July 2017, Improta was signed by Bari.[19]

On 1 July 2018, Improta signed for Serie B club Benevento.[20]

International career edit

Improta was capped for Italy national under-19 football team in the second half of the 2011–12 season. He scored twice in 3 games of 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship elite qualification. Along with Francesco Zampano, they scored a goal against U19 team when they represented Italy Lega Pro representative teams in December 2011.[21][22] After the game they both entered U19 team.

Career statistics edit

As of match played 22 November 2020[23]
Club Season League League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Virtus Lanciano 2010–11 Lega Pro 1 0 1 0
2011–12 10 2 1 0 11 2
Total 11 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 12 2
Juve Stabia 2012–13 Serie B 27 6 1 0 28 6
Chievo 2013–14 Serie A 3 0 2 0 5 0
Padova 2013–14 Serie B 18 7 0 0 18 7
Bologna 2014–15 16 1 0 0 16 1
Cesena 2015–16 2 0 0 0 2 0
Salernitana 2016–17 31 2 0 0 31 2
Bari 2017–18 36 8 2 0 38 8
Benevento 2018–19 30 3 3 1 33 4
2019–20 33 4 1 0 34 4
2020–21 Serie A 7 1 1 0 8 1
Total 70 8 5 1 0 0 0 0 75 9
Career total 214 34 11 1 0 0 0 0 225 35

Honours edit

Club edit

Lanciano (youth)

Individual edit

Genoa (youth)

References edit

  1. ^ "Improta: a Lanciano sarei tornato volentieri". Il Centro (in Italian). 7 November 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Comunicato Ufficiale N°58 (2007–08)" (Microsoft Word). Comitato Regionale Campania, Settore Giovanile e Scolastico (SGS) (in Italian). FIGC. 24 January 2008. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  3. ^ "Comunicato Ufficiale N°17 (2008–09)" (Microsoft Word). SGS Campania (in Italian). FIGC. 27 November 2008. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  4. ^ "Comunicato Ufficiale N°26 (2009–10)" (PDF). SGS Campania (in Italian). FIGC. 30 December 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  5. ^ "Lucchese-Virtus Lanciano 2-0" (in Italian). SS Virtus Lanciano 1924. 2 May 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  6. ^ "Riccardo Improta al Genoa" (in Italian). SS Virtus Lanciano 1924. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  7. ^ Genoa C.F.C. S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 31 December 2012 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  8. ^ "I convocati per il ritiro" (in Italian). AS Gubbio 1910. 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ "Riccardo Improta è un calciatore della Juve Stabia" (in Italian). S.S. Juve Stabia. 4 August 2012. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  10. ^ "Mercato: arriva al ChievoVerona Riccardo Improta" (Press release) (in Italian). A.C. ChievoVerona. 2 July 2013. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  11. ^ Genoa C.F.C. S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 31 December 2014 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  12. ^ "RICCARDO IMPROTA È UN GIOCATORE DEL PADOVA, PRESENTAZIONE ALLO STADIO EUGANEO ALLE ORE 15.00" (in Italian). Calcio Padova. 14 January 2014. Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  13. ^ "MERCATO ACCORDI PARTECIPAZIONE" (Press release) (in Italian). Genoa C.F.C. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Improta al Bologna" (Press release) (in Italian). Bologna F.C. 1909. 1 September 2014 [re-published in 2016]. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  15. ^ "ALTRE OPERAZIONI CALCIO MERCATO" (Press release) (in Italian). Genoa C.F.C. 1 September 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Riccardo Improta è un giocatore del Cesena" (Press release) (in Italian). A.C. Cesena. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  17. ^ "Riccardo Improta è un giocatore della Salernitana" (in Italian). U.S. Salernitana 1919. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  18. ^ "NUMERAZIONE MAGLIE STAGIONE 2016/17" (Press release) (in Italian). Genoa C.F.C. 11 August 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  19. ^ "Masi, Capradossi, Improta e De Lucia in biancorosso" (Press release) (in Italian). F.C. Bari 1908. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Improta signed with Benevento". Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  21. ^ "GOALS AND GOOD PLAY BY THE U.19 IN COVERCIANO UNDER WATCHFUL EYE OF PRANDELLI" (in Italian). FIGC. 14 December 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  22. ^ "Italia Lega Pro - Under 19 2-4 davanti a Prandelli | Lega Pro".
  23. ^ "Riccardo Improta".

External links edit