Tottenham Hotspur were heavily linked with Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo.
Agent Claudio Vigorelli has told the Daily Mail that Tottenham Hotspur were serious about signing Roma playmaker Nicolo Zaniolo before they landed Giovani Lo Celso.
Spurs were linked with a whole host of playmakers over the course of the summer transfer window, seemingly preparing for life after Christian Eriksen.
Real Betis talent Lo Celso ended up signing on loan for the season with a view to a permanent move, but he’s yet to start a game for Spurs.
Fans were excited by links to Paulo Dybala, Philippe Coutinho and Bruno Fernandes, whilst Roma’s Zaniolo was another name touted for a move.
Alfredo Pedulla reported over the summer that Zaniolo had verbally agreed a move to Tottenham, which would have seen the youngster head to Spurs and Toby Alderweireld head to Roma, along with a chunk of cash.
That deal didn’t end up going through, and Zaniolo has since agreed to a new contract with Roma, committing his future to the club until 2024.
Now, agent Vigorelli has claimed that he and Zaniolo ‘enjoyed’ Tottenham’s interest, noting that they seriously considered a big move for him instead of Lo Celso, with Mauricio Pochettino and co carrying out in-depth checks on him.
Vigorelli even touted the 20-year-old as something of a new Paul Gascoigne, and having been a Tottenham hero, Spurs fans will be very interested in that comparison as he develops in Italy.
“He renewed with Roma and is fine at Roma but obviously we enjoyed the great interest of Tottenham, who were the runners up in the Champions League,” said Vigorelli. “Their concrete interest in him shows how good the boy’s season was. Spurs thought a lot about Nicolo before taking Lo Celso, they focused their attention on him seriously, more than any other club even beyond the Premier League. I can say that only Mauricio Pochettino’s club has carried out such in-depth market analysis in England.”
“The boy has a mild character despite what is written and sometimes is said in Italy. Zaniolo resembles Gascoigne very much for his physical qualities but he has a much milder character. Now Fonseca is playing him in central midfield, a position he likes, where he can render and become just like Gascoigne: devastating with his technique and quality. He is a creative player who has pace and muscle, which is a rare commodity in Italy,” he added.
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