Roma winger Nicolo Zaniolo
Italian football expert Nicky Bandini isn’t sure that Tottenham Hotspur or any other club will meet the price tag on Nicolo Zaniolo’s head.
The Lowdown: Unrealistic price tag
Spurs are still yet to back Antonio Conte financially in the transfer market this month, which could well be down to the fact the Italian manager is yet to commit his future to the club with his contract set to expire in the summer – though they have recently moved to bring in Arnaut Danjuma on a surprise loan deal.
Reports have recently emerged about how Conte could leave at the end of the season, but if Daniel Levy was to put his hand in his pocket and bring in some new signings, things could quickly change.
Another player who is said to be admired by Conte and Spurs is Zaniolo of Roma, with Tottenham said to have lodged a loan offer for the player that was rejected out of hand by the Serie A giants.
The Latest: Zaniolo not looking likely to be on the move
Bandini has admitted live on Sky Sports that it would be surprising if Spurs spent big on Zaniolo, especially after he raised red flags by not turning out for Roma this weekend, despite being called up to the squad.
She said: “I think this weekend is one of those situations – he’s trying to force a move but also perhaps, he’s sort of raising some red flags, he’s the sort of player who will refuse to go to a game which he’s been called up for.
“Everything Mina [Rzouki] said is accurate, he’s a really sort of explosive, powerful player who can be very impressive, but strangely for Roma, he really hasn’t turned that into numbers, hasn’t really turned that into goals, hasn’t turned that into assists.
“So I’m sort of with Mourinho that that expectation that someone’s going to put €35-40m this transfer window seems unlikely, but he’s got potential, he really has got potential to be special.”
The Verdict: This is a deal Spurs should avoid
While Conte will be desperate for reinforcements this month, bringing in someone who has had two ACL injuries in recent times and is failing to impress or even put the effort into his club at present is perhaps not the ideal recruit.
With a price tag going all the way up to around $40m (£35m), it would be a major outlay for Spurs to commit to, so it’s no surprise that they’re instead keen on an initial loan deal so they can see how he adapts to the Premier League and if his body can cope with it.
Zaniolo is still very young and clearly has potential, as Bandini highlighted, but his shocking injury record and lack of goal involvements this season will be huge red flags that Conte and Levy must assess before throwing money at Roma just for the sake of bringing in a new body.
About the Author
