Tottenham Hotspur have renewed their interest in long-term transfer target Nicolo Zaniolo but a move to the Premier League still seems unlikely for Roma’s Serie A star, as reported by Calciomercato.
When fit and firing, Nuno Espirito Santo has three uber-talented playmakers who would swagger into most top-flight sides without breaking sweat.
The problem is, during last night’s EFL Cup clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Giovani Lo Celso, Dele Alli and the eternally enigmatic Tanguy Ndombele raised more questions than answers with their performances at Molineux.
Lo Celso, subbed off after 62 minutes, continues to resemble a pale imitation of the player who sparkled so brightly under Jose Mourinho.
Alli, meanwhile, set up Harry Kane’s goal in the Black Country but then drifted out of the game. Ndombele, meanwhile, was his usual head-scratching self, drawing awe-struck gasps one minute and screeches of exasperation the next.
Could Tottenham finally sign Nicolo Zaniolo?
It should be no surprise, then, that Tottenham are reaching out to Zaniolo again.
Especially when you consider Fabio Paratici, the club’s sporting director, expressed his admiration for the Italy international during his time in the Juventus boardroom (JuveFC).
“Three good Italians I’d like (at Juve)? Zaniolo, (Federico) Chiesa, (Nicolo) Barella and (Sandro) Tonali,” Paratici said in 2019.
Counting may not be Paratici’s strong point but unearthing exciting football talent certainly is.
Zaniolo’s agent admitted Tottenham tried to sign Zaniolo – a skilful, forward-thinking attacking midfielder who “resembles Paul Gascoigne” – in the final few months of the Mauricio Pochettino era.
A £43 million move was also considered after the appointment of Jose Mourinho before a cruelly timed ACL injury stopped that in its tracks.
In a strange twist of fate, Mourinho is now Zaniolo’s coach at the Stadio Olimpico.
According to Calciomercato, Tottenham have now enquired about the 22-year-old again, making their interest known in recent weeks.
It looks for all the world as though Zaniolo will sign a new deal at Roma, however, complete with a substantial pay rise on his £40,000-a-week wages.
Is a long-running transfer saga finally coming to an end albeit not in the way Spurs would have wanted?
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