Tottenham have been boosted in their quest to sign Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, with a new report claiming they are the 'only' club who can snap him up.
The Lowdown: Tottenham linked with Zaniolo move
Antonio Conte will always be looking to strengthen his squad despite their impressive start to the campaign, as he looks to follow last season's positivity by finishing in the Premier League top four again or even better.
One player who has been constantly linked with a move to north London in 2022 is Zaniolo, who has enjoyed a good career at Roma, scoring 22 goals in 119 appearances.
He hasn't featured as prominently this season, however, making only five Serie A starts, and it could be that his future lies away from his current club.
The Latest: Paratici in pole
Speaking to Wettfreunde [via Sport Witness], Sky Italy journalist Gianluca Di Marzio shrugged off potential interest from Arsenal and said that the influence of Fabio Paratici makes Spurs strong favourites to sign Zaniolo:
"Nicolo Zaniolo only had one real request in the summer and that was Tottenham. They tried to get him, but with a swap deal with other players, or a loan option, and AS Roma didn’t want to sell the player under those conditions.
"Now, like Leão or Skriniar, it’s about Zaniolo’s contract. They need to renew his contract if they want the contractual power if the player makes a request. Arsenal or other clubs? No.
"Only Tottenham can come back because Paratici is one of the chiefs who has wanted Zaniolo for a long time. Even when he was at Juventus."
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The Verdict: Exciting news for Spurs
This is a hugely encouraging transfer update from a Spurs perspective, with Roma boss Jose Mourinho recently describing Zaniolo as a 'devastating' attacking player.
He is someone who could come in a provide extra guile and quality in the final third, making the attacking side of Spurs' game more potent and unpredictable.
Zaniolo has two goals in nine caps to his name for Italy, and he won the UEFA Conference League with Roma last season, and with his current deal expiring in 2024, Roma could feel they need to sell in January or the end of the season.