Liverpool FC target Nicolo Zaniolo could reportedly be sold by AS Roma in the summer. It was believed that the Italian side were not keen on selling the player earlier. However, with AS Roma finding themselves in a financial struggle, the Serie A plan to sell Zaniolo for a cut-price fee.
The 21-year old midfielder had earlier been valued at £70 million by the Italian giants. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has made AS Roma rethink their asking price for their Italian starlet. AS Roma will now accept bids in the region of £50 million for Zaniolo, who is a key player in their current squad.
With AS Roma looking set to miss out on Champions League football next season, the Italian side would seek to ease financial worries by selling some of their highly-rated players. Zaniolo is one such player who has garnered considerable interest from other teams in recent seasons.
The 21-year old Italian international has scored six goals and assisted thrice for AS Roma in the current campaign. Besides being a traditional attacking midfielder, Zaniolo can also feature out wide as a winger for his team. The player’s versatility and ability led to him being praised by Real Madrid star Luca Modric in an earlier interview.
Liverpool FC have emerged as the frontrunner to secure the signing of Zaniolo in the summer. Despite Jurgen Klopp stating that the Reds would not be making any major summer signings, the newly crowned Premier League champions would seek to strengthen their current squad. Adam Lallana is set to depart Anfield in the coming months, and Xherdan Shaqiri could follow suit.
Zaniolo could establish himself as a handy backup option to either Mohammad Salah or Sadio Mane at Liverpool FC. Moreover, the signing of the Italian prospect could allow Roberto Firmino to function as a primary striker for the Reds. Zaniolo could fill the gap left by either Lallana or Shaqiri in Liverpool FC’s midfield depth.
Besides the Reds, Tottenham Hotspurs are also interested in signing the AS Roma starlet. Jose Mourinho is reported to be an admirer of Zaniolo’s playing style and would be keen on bringing the 21-year old to London to play for Spurs.
