According to Di Marzio, Nicolo Zaniolo is set to sign for Galatasaray this afternoon.
The Italian midfielder has been strongly linked with both Tottenham and Leeds in recent weeks, with both Premier League clubs showing interest in the player.
Tottenham had apparently agreed personal terms with Zaniolo, but they were unable to strike a deal for the Serie A ace in January.
Zaniolo, who rose to prominence with Roma, has been in poor form as of late and his move to Galatasaray will come as a surprise to many football fans.
The Turkish Super Lig is often seen as something of a footballing graveyard for top European players, with the league lacking the prestige and competitiveness of the top European leagues and many players go there for one final payday rather than to rekindle their career.
For Zaniolo, that may well be the case, after falling out with the higher-ups at Roma, he’s seemingly downed tools, and a move to Turkey isn’t likely to rekindle his love of the game or his best form.
The move to Galatasaray may come as a disappointment to Tottenham and Leeds fans, who were hoping to see Zaniolo join their respective teams.
However, the midfielder’s form has dipped in recent months, and a Premier League move may not have suited the player one bit at this moment in time.
In all honesty, Zaniolo’s move to Galatasaray will come as a surprise to many football fans, this was a young man who looked to have the world at his feet not 18 months ago, but now, he’s set to head to a league that has been famed for taking players on who are close to retirement, not players who are still trying to make something of themselves.
This is, most certainly, a backwards step for Zaniolo.
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