The 18-year-old has been on Arnold’s Socceroos watch list for some time, and his interest was heightened amid the crescendo of publicity which greeted the winger’s Serie A debut for Jose Mourinho’s team off the bench in the 3-0 loss to champions Inter Milan at the Stadio Olimpico last weekend.

The Sydneysider’s two-minute cameo was emblematic of the progress he’s made in the Eternal City since putting behind him short lived spells in the youth ranks at Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers to chase his European dreams a year ago.

Uncapped at any level by Australia, Volpato has been involved with the Azzurri youth set up and there has been talk of a call-up for their U-19 squad.

However, Arnold is looking to circumvent such distractions by offering Volpato the enticing prospect of a senior cap for the green and gold.

Should the gifted teenager play even a minute against Vietnam on January 27 in Melbourne or in Oman five days later he will be tied to the Socceroos for life.

Volpato addressed the conundrum during the week, telling BeIN Sports of his divided loyalties but hinting heavily that were a Socceroos call to come he would very likely jump at the opportunity.

“I’m thinking more about trying to play with Roma’s first team than national team stuff,” he said.

“I’m just trying to get more Serie A minutes - but of course if the Socceroos call me maybe it’s a different conversation.

“It’s not an easy one in many ways: I was born and raised in Australia but my blood is Italian. It’s hard.”

Mourinho bought into the debate, telling Volpato to “follow his heart” over his international allegiances whilst his agent, Roma and Italy legend Francesco Totti, will also proffer his own invaluable insights should he be consulted.

Arnold invited Volpato - a star of Roma’s Primavera side and increasingly a fixture at first team training - into an Olyroos camp in Dubai in October.

Roma, though, declined to release him as the camp was outside official FIFA windows.

Able to operate as a number 10, on the wing or more centrally Volpato’s inclusion would spice up a Socceroos squad seemingly in need of an injection fresh energy after dropping seven points from their last three qualifiers against Japan, Saudi Arabia and China to fall out of the automatic qualifying spots for Qatar 2022.