Roma will ‘do everything’ in their power to keep Nicolo Zaniolo this summer amid interest from Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, sporting director Gianluca Petrachi has told Sky Italia.
It is hard to believe that, just three years ago, the Italian national team was in crisis.
After a dismal qualification campaign under veteran coach Gian Piero Ventura, the Nerazzuri failed to grace the World Cup with their presence for the first time since 1958.
But to say things have changed rather dramatically since that 2018 humiliation would quite the understatement.
Roberto Mancini has put together an exciting and dynamic young squad in the blinking of an eye with Italy suddenly emerging as genuine candidates to go all the way at Euro 2020 – when the tournament eventually gets going, that is.
In Lorenzo Pellegrini, Sandro Tonali, Nicolo Barella and Gaetano Castrovilli, Mancini has some of the best young midfielders in Europe at his disposal. But the best of the lot could be a fleet-footed 20-year-old who Roma are absolutely desperate to keep hold of.
“Zaniolo represents the player who excites the fans,” Roma director Petrachi says.
“We will do everything we can to keep him, even if you never know in the transfer market.”
Unfortunately for Roma, that decision could be taken out of their hands. The Giallorossi may be forced to sell a number of star players if they fail to qualify for the Champions League and, according to Il Sussidario, Liverpool could offer Dejan Lovren in exchange for the £50 million-rated Zaniolo.
Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham have also been linked. But, as The Star point out, a man with the creativity and forcefulness to fill a Christian Eriksen-shaped void in north London is likely to be too expensive this summer.
With Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp pretty much admitting that big-money signings will be in short supply at Anfield too, Petrachi’s wish could come true.
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