Antonio Conte asks Tottenham Hotspur to make second bid for Nicolo Zaniolo
According to Italian outlet Quotidiano Nazionale (h/t Daily Express), Antonio Conte is pretty anxious about luring Nicolo Zaniolo from Roma and wants Tottenham to make another effort to get him this summer.
The Spurs manager made significant investments this summer. After achieving a top-four position last season, possibly against the odds, efforts have been made to further improve their pool. Director Fabio Paratici has handled six newcomers in order to achieve this.
The addition of Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Clement Lenglet, Fraser Forster, Djed Spece, and Ivan Persic’s actually strengthened Spurs in all areas of the field. But before the summer transfer window closes, Tottenham might have room for one more significant signing.
It is believed that Tottenham are interested in Roma star Zaniolo. Negotiating with Roma, however, seems to be a very difficult task.
The prized asset in their lineup is one of the crucial players for Jose Mourinho’s team and it seems they are not at all interested in giving away the Italian without a fight. They rejected Tottenham’s first proposal of £30m, which indicates their stiff stance.
However, the former Inter Milan manager has directed the North London team’s board to go on the hunt again with a new proposal.
Juventus were also interested in the Roma man, but their interest cooled off after they signed some reinforcements of their own.
It’s understandable why Conte wants to sign Zaniolo to a contract with Tottenham. Even if those numbers aren’t great, the guy spent a lot of last season playing a deeper position.
The 23-year-old, who scored eight goals and added five more assists last season across all competitions, is considered one of Serie A’s brightest emerging stars.
In 111 games with Roma, he has a total of 22 goals and 15 assists. However, given that he can play a variety of positions, his versatility might also be very important to Spurs.
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Last season, Jose Mourinho primarily deployed Zaniolo as a right winger, although the 22-year-old has also occasionally played as a second striker or even a centre-forward. His versatility would be a desirable possibility because it is after all an advantageous quality to have.
His injury history may be his only flaw. However, the player might be an excellent one if Conte is so eager to sign him. It remains to be seen whether the Italian manager’s wish gets fulfilled in the coming days.
