Arriving at Lazio from Virtus Francavilla in 2024, Artistico seemed like the umpteenth purchase in a long series of anonymous players who passed through the capital's first team.
The Roman striker, who grew up in Parma's youth system (between the Primavera and Under 17 sides, he made 50 appearances and scored 30 goals) and debuted with the Crociati shirt in the Coppa Italia in 2021, began a long round of loans before ending up precisely at Lazio, as a free agent, after a good season in Puglia with 12 goals.
His start at Lazio seemed headed for the usual endless loan cycle that characterises the "minor" purchases of the Lotito management: Juve Stabia first, and Cosenza later, saw the young Roman lad collect a total of 7 goals in his first Serie B season.
But the breakthrough came this season, where with Spezia, after a slow start, he began to rack up goals up to today, when with his 69th-minute goal in the home draw against Empoli, Artistico reached a tally of 12 between the league and cup.
Standing 184 centimetres tall, blessed with a good physique, he has all the hallmarks of a quick centre-forward, who knows what to do in the box. A player who could also match the prototype of a Sarri striker, for his ability to roam without giving reference points.
Next season he should return to base to make himself available and try to exploit his characteristics, in a department that this season has not had a technical leader capable of giving the team stability, with Dia, Castellanos, Noslin, Ratkov and finally Maldini never managing to find the number of goals required of a centre-forward.
It is true that the jump in category is still significant, and probably "El Tiburón" (or the shark, another nickname he has earned by scoring goals) could also be a good opportunity for the club to bring in liquidity at a difficult time, given that in 2024 he was signed as a free agent, making him, after a season in which he has showcased himself with goals, a serious candidate to be the next capital gain in the new player-trading transfer market of the Lotito/Fabiani management.
