Tottenham Hotspur will be elated that they didn’t fork out £40million for Nicolo Zaniolo back in 2019, given the player’s recent downturn.
The attacking midfielder was a standout performer in Serie A with Roma from 2018 to 2023, netting 24 goals and setting up 18 more in 128 appearances, which attracted attention from numerous European clubs. Back in 2019, when Zaniolo was only a year into his Roma contract, Spurs were reportedly keen on him.
Then-manager Mauricio Pochettino was ready to table a £40m offer for the young talent. However, no deal came to fruition, and Roma held onto their star player.
Fast forward to January 2023, under Antonio Conte, Spurs rekindled their interest in Zaniolo. Reports surfaced suggesting the north London club were eyeing a loan move until the season’s end.
However, Roma would only agree to a deal involving a compulsory permanent transfer following Zaniolo’s falling out with then-manager Jose Mourinho, reports the Express. At the time, Zaniolo had just angered the Roma hierarchy by rejecting a move to Bournemouth after the club accepted a £27m (€30m) bid for him to relocate to England’s south coast.
Sky Sports reported that while Spurs were interested in bringing Zaniolo on board, they preferred a loan with an option to buy rather than a mandatory purchase. Zaniolo eventually secured a £13.7m (€16.5m) switch to Galatasaray instead, with his mother telling CorSport: “He was ready to reduce his salary to join Tottenham or AC Milan, but both clubs didn’t find an agreement with Roma.”
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For Spurs fans feeling disappointed at the time, it appears the Italian’s failed move might have been fortuitous. Zaniolo experienced a limited run with Galatasaray, capped at ten games in the Turkish Super Lig before being shipped off to Aston Villa for the 2023/24 Premier League season on loan.
While he showed glimpses of promise with two goals in 25 appearances, consistency eluded him back in Turkey afterwards. He then found himself on another loan stint, this time to Atalanta, a deal running for the 2024/25 period and including an alleged buy clause set at £12.9m (€15.5m), where the midfielder remains active today.
Clocking 23 games this season so far for the Serie A club, Zaniolo could potentially be eyeing up a new chapter ahead of January’s transfer window closure. Viola News reported on Friday that the 25-year-old is expected to have his current loan deal terminated early and undergo a medical with Fiorentina.
Galatasaray will have the final decision on the move as Fiorentina looks for a replacement for Jonathan Ikone, who was confirmed on Friday as joining Como 1907 for the remainder of the season. This would be his fourth move since 2023, underlining his struggles since making a name for himself at Roma.
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