⬡ AI DNA · Live season

Bari 1908· 2025/2026 · Coppa Italia · PARTIAL

Best Alternatives to Riccardo Pagano

MidfielderItaly21y€2.5MFull profile →

0.42KP/90

0.00G/90

0.00A/90

Based on 1,243 min · 2025/2026 · Coppa Italia · PARTIAL

Ranked by AI DNA similarity — playing style, pressing, and tactical fit. Below: the closest replacements with per-90 stats and form.

Note: Top DNA style matches can come from lower leagues. We also surface Coppa Italia peers ranked by market value and league tier — scroll the full list below.

DNA matchDNA style match · see league & value below

Top 3 alternatives to Riccardo Pagano

Martín Payero87% match
Cremonese · Serie A · €5.0M
Gianluca Gaetano85% match
Cagliari · Serie A · €4.0M

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Playing Style Analysis

A Midfielder. The three closest DNA matches to Riccardo Pagano:

Martín Payero(87% match) — A Balanced Midfielder. Statistically, he stands out as draws fouls effectively (2.1/90) and active off the ball (2.0 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions.
Gianluca Gaetano(85% match) — A Box-to-Box. Statistically, he stands out as a capable chance creator (1.3 key passes/90), a reliable supplier (0.19 assists/90), heavily involved in play (66 touches/90), uses long balls frequently (5.3/90) and active off the ball (2.6 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions.
Carlos Dotor(84% match) — A Box-to-Box. Statistically, he stands out as an elite creator (1.9 key passes/90), meticulous in distribution (86% pass accuracy), heavily involved in play (58 touches/90), active off the ball (2.1 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions and top 20% creator in the league.

Similarity uses per-90 performance across playing-style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →

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Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity

Martín Payero

Cremonese · Serie A

Argentina27yContract 2026

KP/900.74

G/900.06

Balanced MidfielderIn form ↑

vs Pagano: 6y older

87% match

€5.0M

Compare Pagano vs Payero →

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Same DNA shortlist as above — budget fit, who to avoid, or why the top match works.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the best alternatives to Riccardo Pagano?▼

The top alternatives to Riccardo Pagano based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Martín Payero, Gianluca Gaetano, Carlos Dotor, Michel Aebischer, Federico Redondo. These players were matched using Rising Transfers' 768-dimension DNA model across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit — not just position or market value.

Which players are similar to Riccardo Pagano in 2026?▼

Players with a similar profile to Riccardo Pagano in 2026 include Martín Payero (€5.0M), Gianluca Gaetano (€4.0M), Carlos Dotor (€3.0M). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.

What position does Riccardo Pagano play and who plays similarly?▼

Riccardo Pagano plays as a Midfielder. Players with a comparable positional profile include Martín Payero (Argentina, €5.0M); Gianluca Gaetano (Italy, €4.0M); Carlos Dotor (Spain, €3.0M); Michel Aebischer (Switzerland, €4.0M).

How does Rising Transfers find similar players?▼

Rising Transfers uses a proprietary 768-dimension Player DNA model trained on 3.2 million match events. Each player is represented as a vector across 35+ per-90 metrics including pressing intensity, passing footprint, dribbling profile, and defensive contribution. Similarity is measured using cosine distance — the same technique used in state-of-the-art AI systems — making it the most precise player comparison tool available publicly.

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