He is Italian football's breakout star this season, with clubs from across Europe jostling for action ahead of the summer transfer window. What is less known about Albert Gudmundsson is a family history steeped in English football, particularly at Arsenal, where his great-grandfather played in the 1940s.
Gudmundsson has had a standout season in Serie A with Genoa after deciding to stay with them in the second tier to help them gain promotion. Only Lautaro Martínez and Dusan Vlahovic have scored more than him this season. With his fifteen goals, his club is close to a healthy mid-table position.
His journey to Italy was via the Netherlands, where he played under Arne Slot for AZ Alkmaar, but his path could easily have taken him to England after stints at Arsenal, who offered him a place in their academy, and Liverpool.
The decision to try Dutch football was a sporting one, as the pain would have drawn him towards North London. His great-grandfather, also Albert, played as an amateur inside-forward at Highbury and was in their team in the early post-war seasons. He was the first Icelandic player in English football, then entered politics after hanging up his boots and running for president.
"He is my mother's grandfather and she told me many stories," says Gudmundsson. "A book was written about his career and after he stopped playing, so I know a lot about him and his life. It also inspires me because I knew he reached a very high level and this is something I would also like to achieve."
Gudmundsson, 26, describes himself as "born to be a footballer." It wasn't just his great-grandfather's story of playing for Arsenal, Glasgow Rangers and AC Milan. His mother, Kristbjorg Ingadottir, was a box-to-box midfielder for Icelandic clubs, while his father Gudmundur Benediktsson was a player destined for the major European leagues before being struck by injury.
"So looking back it was the perfect combination," Gudmundsson said. "In the summer in Iceland the sun never actually sets, so you're playing football all night long. I remember my mother had to go to the field at 10 or 11 o'clock and grab me to come home and sleep.
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"It wasn't like they pushed me into it, I fell in love with it. But they also took care of my technique. In fact, my entire childhood was devoted to football. I would go outside into the garden to play with my mum or dad, and the TV was always showing the Premier League or Italian football."
Iceland has always been in the grip of the Premier League and Gudmundsson grew up watching David Beckham, then admiring the smaller technicians in the middle of the park - Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas. There were connections there with his parents as father was a United fan and his mother, understandably given the family history, followed Arsenal.
When he was 15, Gudmundsson went to Arsenal for several spells to train at the Academy and could have joined them. He still has a photo of him and Wojciech Szczesny, who was in the first team at the time, while his age group saw him play with the Willock brothers, Chris and Joe, Alex Iwobi and Gedion Zelalem.
"I went there four or five times when I was fifteen. It took more than two years and the academies in England are crazy with such good facilities," said Gundmundsson. "The academy director at the time was Liam Brady and he looked after me and my dad a lot and treated us very well.
"We have been to Liverpool a few times, but my father and I decided to take the first step to the Netherlands. I don't know if it was right or wrong, I don't think there's one right answer, but we thought it would be the best thing for my career at the time. It can be a long road to the first-team youth team in England."
The decision to move to the Netherlands was cemented when he broke into the AZ Alkmaar team after a spell at PSV. It was at AZ where he came across Slot, Liverpool's top target to replace Jurgen Klopp, who made a big impression on the young player.
"During my time at PSV we had a lot of big names who were assistant coaches throughout the youth," says Gudmundsson. "Proper names such as Ruud van Nistelrooy, Mark van Bommel, Boudewijn Zenden.
"When I was in the first team at AZ, I had Arne Slot and I believe he can be a coach of a very high level. I didn't always play under him, but I could see how he prepared tactically and mentally for matches."
The move to Genoa came just before the January deadline of 2022. With his contract less than six months away, he had to make a decision quickly. "I didn't have much time to research the coach or the club, so I did a quick Google search before my flight left in an hour and said 'f- it', let's get to it," he said.
Despite the relegation it was a good decision. He was their top scorer in Serie B and the form has continued this season.
"I've always waited for the moment and this season it came out of me," he said. "I'm very happy with what I've seen so far this season. Last season I also had good statistics in Serie B and that gave me confidence for this season.
"I knew I always had the qualities: a good finish, a good final pass, good set pieces. Now I feel like it's finally coming out. I'm not sure what brought it out, maybe just age, maturity and getting to know the league better."
Clubs at the top of Serie A have been linked with him, as have Premier League clubs such as Tottenham, where his good friend Radu Dragusin moved to this season.
"I really want to test myself at the highest level possible," he said. "I feel good here and I am still under contract with Genoa. I want to finish the season and see what happens. But as a player and football fan, I have of course dreamed of playing at the highest level. Always, that is my ambition."
Could that mean England? "I always thought about playing in the Premier League as a kid, so it's obviously something I definitely want to try."
