CLUB SNAPSHOT: At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Club | US Sassuolo Calcio |
| League | Serie A |
| Manager | Roberto D’Aversa |
| Stadium | Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore |
| Nickname | I Neroverdi |
| Founded | 1920 |
| Leading Forward | Domenico Berardi |
| Central Striker | Sebastiano Esposito |
| Physical Alternative | Kieron Bowie |
| Wide Threat | Armand Laurienté |
| Key Concern | No forward has scored more than two league goals |
The Defining Moment
Sassuolo’s forward line entered 2026/27 in a state of necessary reconstruction. Andrea Pinamonti, the club’s leading striker from the previous campaign, departed for Lazio, forcing the Neroverdi to act decisively in the market. The response was Sebastiano Esposito, the Italian striker arriving from Cagliari on a loan deal that included a €1 million fee and an €11 million purchase option, with Cagliari retaining 15% of any future resale. Esposito was not a marquee signing in the traditional sense, but he was a calculated bet on a player who had shown flashes of quality without ever quite fulfilling his early promise.
The defining characteristic of Sassuolo’s forward department, however, has been the absence of a reliable goalscorer. By the time Alberto Aquilani was dismissed in November, the Neroverdi had scored 14 goals in nine league matches — a respectable return in isolation — but the distribution was revealing. Adžić, a midfielder, led the scoring with three. Berardi and Laurienté, the two wide forwards entrusted with providing the attacking thrust, had contributed two and zero respectively. The centre-forward position, occupied primarily by Esposito and Bowie, had produced a single league goal between them.
This is the story of Sassuolo’s 2026/27 forwards: a club captain searching for a final flourish, a loan signing tasked with replacing a departed goalscorer, and a supporting cast navigating the most turbulent season in the club’s recent top-flight history.
Tactical Context
Aquilani’s attacking system was built on a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 that prioritised possession and technical combinations. Berardi and Laurienté operated as inverted wide forwards, drifting inside to create space for overlapping full-backs, while the central striker was tasked with holding up play and linking with the midfield. The system was designed to create chances through sustained pressure and intricate passing, but the lack of a clinical finisher meant that dominance rarely translated into goals.
The numbers reflect a forward line that contributed to the build-up but struggled in the final third. Laurienté, in nine appearances, registered one assist but no goals — a startling return for a player of his quality. Berardi, at 32 and entering the twilight of his career, scored twice in eight appearances, his set-piece delivery and experience remaining valuable even as his pace declined. Esposito, the intended focal point, managed a single goal in his early appearances, his movement and link-up play offering promise without the end product that Sassuolo desperately needed.
D’Aversa’s arrival brings a tactical shift that may suit the forwards better. The new manager favours a 3-4-2-1 that would deploy Berardi and Laurienté as the two trequartistas behind a single central striker. This structure offers the wide forwards greater freedom to drift into central areas, while the central striker — likely Esposito or Bowie — is tasked with occupying defenders and creating space for the runners behind him. D’Aversa’s preference for “a physically well-structured striker” suggests that Bowie, at 6’2″ and with a more robust profile, may be given an opportunity to challenge Esposito for the starting role.
The Forwards
Domenico Berardi
Berardi is Sassuolo’s captain, its most experienced forward, and the embodiment of the club’s identity. The 32-year-old Italian has been with the Neroverdi since 2013, his left-footed curling shots and set-piece delivery providing some of the most memorable moments of the club’s recent history. His two league goals this season, both from open play, demonstrated that his finishing instincts remain intact even as his physical capabilities decline.
In D’Aversa’s 3-4-2-1, Berardi would operate as one of the two trequartistas behind the central striker, a role that suits his current profile. He no longer possesses the pace to beat full-backs consistently on the outside, but his ability to drift inside, combine with teammates, and strike from distance remains valuable. His contract situation and his long-term future at the club are uncertain, but for now, he remains the forward upon whom Sassuolo’s attacking play depends.
Sebastiano Esposito
Esposito is the loan signing tasked with replacing Pinamonti’s goals. The 24-year-old Italian, a product of Inter’s academy who has spent his career searching for a permanent home, arrived from Cagliari with a point to prove. His early-season numbers — a single league goal in nine appearances — reflect a player adjusting to a new environment and a struggling team.
His profile is that of a modern forward: mobile, technically competent, capable of dropping deep to link play or running in behind. But the consistency that separates a good striker from a reliable goalscorer has eluded him throughout his career. At 24, he remains a player of potential rather than proven output. D’Aversa’s preference for a physical striker may limit his opportunities, but the loan arrangement — with a purchase option that Sassuolo may or may not activate — means his future is not entirely in his own hands.
Kieron Bowie
Bowie is the physical alternative and the forward whose profile most closely matches D’Aversa’s stated preference. The 24-year-old Scottish striker, signed from Fulham, offers height (6’2″), strength, and a willingness to compete in aerial duels — qualities that the new manager has historically valued in his central forwards. His single league goal this season came in limited minutes, but his physical presence offers something that Esposito and the other forwards do not.
At 24, Bowie is entering the phase of his career where regular football is essential. D’Aversa’s arrival may provide the opportunity he has lacked, particularly if the new manager prioritises a target man who can hold the ball up and bring the trequartistas into play.
Armand Laurienté
Laurienté is the enigma of Sassuolo’s forward line. The 27-year-old Frenchman possesses pace, dribbling ability, and the capacity to beat defenders in one-on-one situations — qualities that should make him one of the most productive forwards in the squad. Yet his return of zero goals and one assist in nine appearances represents a significant underperformance.
The reasons are complex. Laurienté has often been deployed on the left flank, where his tendency to cut inside onto his right foot makes him predictable. In D’Aversa’s 3-4-2-1, he would operate as a trequartista with greater freedom to drift across the front line, a role that may suit his attributes better. If he can rediscover the form that once attracted attention from larger clubs, Sassuolo’s attacking threat would be significantly enhanced.
Samuele Mulattieri and Laurs Skjellerup
Mulattieri and Skjellerup provide depth behind the primary options. Neither has featured prominently this season, but their presence ensures that D’Aversa has alternatives if injuries or suspensions deplete his forward line.
The Numbers Game
TABLE A: Sassuolo Forward Serie A Statistics (2026/27, pre-D’Aversa)
| Player | Apps (Starts) | Minutes | Goals | Assists | G+A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domenico Berardi | 8 (6) | 528 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Kieron Bowie | 9 (5) | 503 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sebastiano Esposito | 9 (—) | — | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Armand Laurienté | 9 (8) | 720 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
TABLE B: Sassuolo Forward Unit – Key Metrics (2026/27)
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Team Goals Scored (first 9 matches) | 14 | 1.56 per game |
| Top Scorer (all positions) | Adžić (3) | Midfielder leads the charts |
| Berardi Goals per 90 | 0.34 | Best ratio among forwards |
| Laurienté Goals | 0 | Significant underperformance |
TABLE C: Forward Career Context & Pedigree
| Player | Nationality | Previous Clubs | Style Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domenico Berardi | Italy | Sassuolo (since 2013) | Left-footed wide forward, set-piece specialist, declining pace |
| Sebastiano Esposito | Italy | Cagliari (loan), Inter Academy | Mobile centre-forward, technical, inconsistent end product |
| Kieron Bowie | Scotland | Fulham | Physical target man, aerial presence, D’Aversa profile |
| Armand Laurienté | France | Lorient, Rennes | Direct winger, dribbling ability, goal drought |
Tactical Identity & Squad Balance
Sassuolo’s forward line is a unit in transition, caught between Aquilani’s possession-based vision and D’Aversa’s pragmatic demands. The personnel are capable of technical football — Berardi’s intelligence, Esposito’s link play, Laurienté’s dribbling — but the collective output has been insufficient. A team that scores 14 goals in nine matches but distributes them across midfielders and defenders rather than forwards is a team with a structural problem.
D’Aversa’s arrival offers a potential solution. His 3-4-2-1 would deploy Berardi and Laurienté in roles that maximise their creative freedom while asking the central striker to perform a more traditional target-man function. Bowie’s physical profile may be better suited to this role than Esposito’s mobility, and the Scottish striker’s opportunity may arrive sooner than expected.
The January window may offer an opportunity to add another forward, but Sassuolo’s financial constraints and the priority of defensive reinforcement make significant investment unlikely. The solution must come from within: Berardi finding his scoring boots, Laurienté ending his drought, and one of the central strikers establishing himself as a reliable source of goals.
The Verdict from the Camp
Calcio News 24 on D’Aversa’s attacking plans:
“In this formation, Domenico Berardi and Armand Laurienté would act behind Sebastiano Esposito, with greater freedom of movement in the final thirty metres.”
FantaMaster on the forward hierarchy:
“Eyes focused on the centre-forward: in his career the Italian coach has always played with a physically well-structured striker, so Bowie could seriously threaten Sebastiano Esposito’s starting spot.”
Quotidiano Sportivo on Esposito’s arrival:
“With Pinamonti sacrificed with the sale to Lazio, Aquilani has retained, in addition to Armand Laurientè, a certain Kristian Thorstvedt… The squad, deficient until a few days ago, especially in defense, has its own competitiveness to deploy in all its highly varied departments.”
Where Next?
Sassuolo’s forward priority for 2026/27 is goals. Berardi cannot carry the burden alone at 32, and Laurienté’s drought cannot continue indefinitely if the Neroverdi are to avoid relegation. Esposito or Bowie must establish themselves as a reliable central striker, whether through D’Aversa’s tactical adjustments or through individual improvement.
The longer-term question is the composition of the forward line beyond this season. Berardi’s contract situation requires resolution, and Laurienté’s future may depend on whether he can recapture his best form. Esposito’s loan arrangement includes a purchase option that Sassuolo may or may not activate, while Bowie represents a longer-term investment. The January window may bring reinforcement, but the club’s financial constraints suggest that any additions will be pragmatic rather than transformative.
For now, the focus is on the next match and the next goal. Sassuolo sit seventeenth, one point above the relegation zone, with a forward line that has contributed less than its midfielders and defenders. D’Aversa has been hired to fix the balance, and the forwards he selects will determine whether the Neroverdi’s return to Serie A becomes a brief stay or a foundation for stability.
