Agent explains why £53m ace couldn’t join Tottenham or Liverpool in 2020

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A trio of major hurdles prevented Nicolo Zaniolo from leaving Roma for the likes of Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur during the transfer window, agent Claudio Vigorelli has told Tuttosport, as translated by Football Italia.

In an alternative universe somewhere, the diamond in a treasure trove of young Italian gems would be filling a Christian Eriksen-shaped void in Jose Mourinho’s attack.

Or perhaps sprinkling a dash of duplicity on a Liverpool midfield more famed for its guile than grit.

Il Tempo reported in June that Roma were facing the prospect of selling their star man as punishment for missing out on Champions League football.

Tottenham had been linked with a player his agent describes as the ‘Italian Gazza’ for some time and it was no surprise to see the London giants emerge on the scene again, via Leggo in May.

However, suddenly the picture changed.

“All the top clubs were interested in Nicolo,” explains the Italy international’s agent. “Then the injury, the pandemic and the new ownership (at Roma) changed the situation.”

Vigorelli is referring, of course, to the fact the £53 million-rated Zaniolo has suffered two separate anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the space of eight months, either side of Roma’s takeover by American investor Dan Friedkin.

“Friedkin immediately put Nicol at the centre of the project and we are very proud of this,” Vigorelli added. “He came broke through at Roma and I think it’s the right environment to concentrate on once he has recovered from injury.

“Then, we’ll see what the future brings. It goes for Zaniolo and for any other player.”

The Guardian already believes Tottenham plan to extend their pursuit of the gangly midfielder in 2021 – by which time he will have hopefully recovered from yet another extended spell on the sidelines.