Tottenham to Resurrect Interest in AS Roma Starlet Nicolo Zaniolo But Face Competition From Man Utd & Juventus
By Mitch Wilks
Tottenham are interested in completing a deal to bring Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo to north London this summer, according to reports in Italy.
20-year-old Zaniolo enjoyed an impressive debut season with Roma after signing in 2018 and looked to continue his form into the current campaign, but was ruled out with a knee ligament injury in January.
It looked like Zaniolo would miss the remainder of the season, but with the coronavirus pandemic bringing football to a halt, he could be in line to return for Roma once Serie A resumes.
According to Italian outlet Leggo, Roma may be forced into selling their young midfielder in order to relieve some financial strain on the club despite him being happy in the Italian capital.
The report suggests that Spurs have been 'pressing for months' to conclude a deal for Zaniolo, but also face stiff competition from Manchester United and current Serie A champions Juventus, who are both seriously interested in the young Italian.
Zaniolo is valued by Roma at around €60m (£53m), but Tottenham could be in a stronger position to land the attacker should Roma fail to qualify for the Champions League. The financial damage of any failure to do so could force the Giallorossi into a sale.
The 20-year-old came through the ranks in the Fiorentina academy before moving to Serie B side Virtus Entella in 2016. He moved to Inter after one season, and played one season in their youth system before moving to Roma in 2018.
Zaniolo would be another sale in a list of Roma stars who have left for the Premier League for a big transfer fee in recent years. Liverpool have raided the Italian side most notably, signing Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker in their pursuit for a first Premier League title.
Often deployed in an advanced role, Zaniolo is capable of playing out wide and centrally and could strengthen Spurs going forward. José Mourinho's side lost Christian Eriksen to Inter in January, and Zaniolo could serve as the man to replace him.
With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic however, it remains to be seen how the summer transfer window will be affected.