Nicolo Zaniolo is fulfilling a ‘dream’ joining Premier League outfit Aston Villa on loan from Turkish giants Galatasaray.
As the Italy international took his place in the director’s box during Aston Villa’s first home game of the season on Sunday, it’s safe to say he witnessed a much-improved display from Unai Emery’s team.
While Everton were certainly obliging opponents – Michael Keane seemed to think he was wearing claret-and-blue during a disastrous performance – the nature of Aston Villa’s 4-0 win would have had their new signing drooling with anticipation.
The Midland giants completed Nicolo Zaniolo’s arrival over the weekend. The former Roma forward joins on loan, but could eventually set Villa back an eye-watering £37 million if clauses are triggered and bonuses are paid.
And if Villa produce more performances like the one against Everton – and less like the one against Newcastle – do not bet against Zaniolo reminding everyone why he was once among the most exciting young attackers in Europe.
Nicolo Zaniolo joins Aston Villa from Galatasaray
“When this opportunity arrived in the Premier League with Aston Villa and Monchi, we worked with Galatasaray. It was hard to convince them (to let Zaniolo go). But it is the dream of all players to going to the Premier League,” agent Claudio Vigorelli tells Radio Sportiva.
Zaniolo, a target for Leeds, Newcastle, Tottenham and Bournemouth in previous windows, reunites with Monchi at Aston Villa. The club’s new President of Football Operations knows him well from their time together at Roma.
“This was a great opportunity,” Vigorelli adds. “I thank Galatasaray and its president for having made Nicolo’s dream come true in a negotiation that was complicated at the beginning.”
If things had worked out differently, Zaniolo could instead have returned to Italy with AC Milan. The controversial departure of technical director and Rossoneri legend Paolo Maldini, however, quickly put the breaks on that deal.
“Things were going the right way (with Milan). But then everything changed in the management and things weren’t reopened,” the representative explains.
“Nicolo would still have been happy to stay in Turkey. He was thinking about the Champions League and he was happy. Then Aston Villa arrived and we saw how it went.”
Zaniolo could make his Premier League debut away to Burnley next weekend.
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