| Riccardo Improta | |
| Birth Date: | 19 December 1993 |
| Birth Place: | Pozzuoli, Italy |
| Position: | Winger, Forward |
| Youthclubs1: | Puteolana |
| Youthyears2: | 2010–2011 |
| Youthclubs2: | Lanciano |
| Years1: | 2011–2012 |
| Caps1: | 10 |
| Goals1: | 2 |
| Clubs1: | Lanciano |
| Years2: | 2012 |
| Caps2: | 0 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Clubs2: | → Genoa (loan) |
| Years3: | 2012–2014 |
| Caps3: | 0 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Clubs3: | Genoa |
| Years4: | 2012–2013 |
| Caps4: | 27 |
| Goals4: | 6 |
| Clubs4: | → Juve Stabia (loan) |
| Years5: | 2013–2014 |
| Caps5: | 3 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Clubs5: | → Chievo (loan) |
| Years6: | 2014 |
| Caps6: | 0 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Clubs6: | Chievo |
| Years7: | 2014 |
| Caps7: | 18 |
| Goals7: | 7 |
| Clubs7: | → Padova (loan) |
| Years8: | 2014–2018 |
| Caps8: | 0 |
| Goals8: | 0 |
| Clubs8: | Genoa |
| Years9: | 2014–2015 |
| Caps9: | 16 |
| Goals9: | 1 |
| Clubs9: | → Bologna (loan) |
| Years10: | 2015–2016 |
| Caps10: | 2 |
| Goals10: | 0 |
| Clubs10: | → Cesena (loan) |
| Years11: | 2016–2017 |
| Caps11: | 31 |
| Goals11: | 2 |
| Clubs11: | → Salernitana (loan) |
| Years12: | 2017–2018 |
| Caps12: | 36 |
| Goals12: | 8 |
| Clubs12: | → Bari (loan) |
| Years13: | 2018–2024 |
| Caps13: | 189 |
| Goals13: | 16 |
| Clubs13: | Benevento |
| Nationalyears1: | 2012 |
| Nationalteam1: | Italy U19 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 2 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2012–2014 |
| Nationalteam2: | Italy U20 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 7 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 3 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2012–2014 |
| Nationalteam3: | Italy U21 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 3 |
| Pcupdate: | 5 May 2024 |
Riccardo Improta (born 19 December 1993) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward.
His elder brothers Umberto and Giancarlo Improta are also professional footballers.[1]
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.
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]
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]
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.
| 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 | |||