One of the brightest talents to come out of Italian football in recent years is AS Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo, who has flourished for the Italian team since moving from Inter Milan in 2017.
After impressing in his very first year at the club, the 19-year-old has now been linked with Premier League side Tottenham, as per Italian outlet Calciomercato.
The report says that Spurs are ready to pay as much as €45 million for the Italian to bring him to London.
Serie A champions Juventus are also reportedly keen to add the teenager to their side, with the same report claiming that Zaniolo’s agent met with Juventus officials.
Zaniolo moved to Roma from Inter Milan for the swap deal which saw Radja Nainggolan move in the other direction.
In his first year at the club, the 19-year-old scored 6 times and registered 2 assists in all competitions for Roma. Here is a SWOT analysis on the player.
Strengths
Zaniolo’s ability to get into good positions with or without the ball and then play vital passes in the final third is his greatest strength.
His quick dribbling and movement are also a vital ingredient of his game, which has impressed pundits and fans.
The 19-year old’s quick release of the ball when he’s running with it and his calmness in possession should hold him in good stead in the Premier League.
Weaknesses
While he is a good player when driving at the opposition defence, Zaniolo has to improve on his ball retention skills.
Opportunities
Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen has been linked with a move away from Spurs, with Real Madrid his likely destination. Eriksen himself revealed that he wants a new challenge and a move away from Spurs in the summer.
This means that there is a position in midfield open for a player, and Spurs will want to bring in a talented player to replace the Dane.
Zaniolo could be the player to replace Eriksen in the Spurs lineup. While Zaniolo plays behind the striker for Roma, we could perhaps see Dele Alli move to the central midfield position that Eriksen occupied and Zaniolo move into Alli’s position.
Threats
The big threat for Spurs right now in signing Zaniolo will be the interest shown by Juventus in signing the 19-year-old.
Juventus have the financial muscle to outbid Spurs, which could see the London club lose out on their man. Also, at 19, the Premier League’s pace might be too much for young Zaniolo who is still developing as a player.