Three-time capped Italy hooker Marco Manfredi arrived at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens in October 2025, making the switch to Northampton from United Rugby Championship side Benetton Rugby. 

German-born Manfredi began his rugby career in Montpellier Hérault’s junior team before making the move to Italian club Calvisano for the 2017/18 season.

While there, the hooker spent time on loan at Zebre Parma and went on to sign on for the URC side in 2019, where he would make 50 appearances across six seasons before linking up with Benetton at the beginning of last term.

Previously a regular in Italy’s Under-20s squad, Manfredi earned himself a selection to the senior Azzurri squad for the 2023 Six Nations and would make his Test debut in the final match of that tournament against Scotland.

The hooker has since added two more international caps to his tally; first featuring alongside Saints’ new recruit Fischetti in Italy’s Summer Nations Series opener against Scotland in 2023, before he came off the bench in a Rugby World Cup clash against France later that summer.