Wonderkid Nicolò Zaniolo could be on his way out at AS Roma. The young Italian international had already caught the eyes of other clubs but had reportedly stated back in May of 2019 that he was happy at Roma and wanted to stay for the four years left on his contract. An ACL injury and a disappointing season for the club later, and things have changed.
Could Nicolò Zaniolo be on His Way Out at AS Roma?
Roma in a Difficult Position
Roma have become more and more a selling club in the last few years. Long gone are the days of Francesco Totti and one-club players. Nowadays the emphasis is on profit, with big sales like Alisson, Mohamed Salah and Kostas Manolas, who were at the time arguably the club’s best assets. AS Roma are in debt and talks of a takeover are nearly off the table. Unless a miracle happens, they have failed to qualify for the Champions League for the second season in a row.
The club is also in somewhat of a crisis. Just a few weeks ago, they announced their separation with sporting director Gianluca Petrachi for reasons unknown to the public. It has been speculated that it came from a disagreement with owner James Pallotta about future signings, but this information was not confirmed nor denied by AS Roma. This month, Roma and Nike have severed their ties prematurely. On top of that, in the last press conference, manager Paolo Fonseca told Sky Sports Italia’s mics that he was disappointed by Zaniolo’s latest performance, as he felt he didn’t help the team and had a poor attitude.
This puts Roma in an uncomfortable place, as they might be forced to sell their star. Many prestigious clubs are knocking at Roma’s door with a lot of money for Zaniolo. All these factors could point to an early exit for the youngster.
Who is Interested?
The four front runners for this transfer are Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and, of course, Juventus. Zaniolo came to Roma as part of the transfer deal that sent Radja Nainggolan to Inter in 2018. Coincidently, the youngster made his debut against Real Madrid, in a Champions League group stage fixture.
When great prospects burst unto the scene, Juventus are never far behind and have shown interest in Zaniolo for a few years now. Zaniolo might want a change of scenery and join Jose Mourinho’s men in London for a taste of the Premier League.
Reportedly, Roma would be open to selling Zaniolo for over €50 million. However, the club has yet to make an official statement about a potential transfer for Zaniolo. Their public position is still that Zaniolo is a crucial piece for the team and he will not be sold. The native of Massa has appeared 64 times for Roma, netting 13 goals and five assists. Against Porto, he became the youngest Italian in the history of the Champions League to net a brace.
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