Tottenham and AC Milan are interested in Nicolo Zaniolo, who wants to leave Roma
(Image credit: Andrea Staccioli/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur face competition from AC Milan for wantaway Roma forward Nicolo Zaniolo, but both clubs remain far from meeting the Giallorossi’s demands.
Zaniolo’s time in Rome looks to be up after a tumultuous start to the year.
He was booed off by his own fans in a Coppa Italia game against Genoa and hasn’t appeared since, falling ill for the next home game against Fiorentina before refusing to travel to Spezia on Sunday.
Mourinho expects Zaniolo to stay this month (Image credit: PA)
Roma boss Jose Mourinho admitted at the weekend that Zaniolo wants to leave, but said he expects the Italy international to stay because no suitable offers have arrived.
Sky Italia have now shed light on what the Portuguese manager meant.
Roma are ready to listen to offers for Zaniolo, but they value him at around €35-40 million.
Spurs’ proposal was to bring the 23-year-old in on loan with the obligation to buy for €20-25m, if appearance and Champions League qualification clauses are met.
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Zaniolo has scored one league goal this season (Image credit: Getty)
That bid was rejected, but Roma could soon receive another from Milan after the Italian champions entered talks with Zaniolo’s representatives.
The former Inter Milan youth player is interested in returning to San Siro, but there is again a big discrepancy between offer and demands.
Milan also want a loan deal with the obligation to buy coming in if they qualify for the Champions League, but they are only ready to offer €19m with another €3m in add-ons.
It’s unlikely that Roma will accept those terms from a direct domestic rival, leaving Zaniolo’s future up in the air.
The Italian has scored one goal in 13 Serie A games this season and is valued by Transfermarkt at €30m.
Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.
