Nicolo Zaniolo is reportedly dreaming of a big move this summer, with AC Milan among the clubs he would consider moving to.
On Wednesday 1st July, Zaniolo will officially become a player owned by Udinese, who have exercised their option to buy him from Galatasaray for €5m euros, after having already invested €2.5m for the loan part of the deal.
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The following day, Zaniolo will turn 27. As he blows out the candles on his birthday cake, who knows if he’ll make a wish about a new team to play for. In fact, his permanence in Udine isn’t so certain, despite their intentions.
Agent fuels the fire
As Calciomercato.com write, the words of his agent Claudio Vigorelli certainly suggest that the door is not closed to the idea of Zaniolo’s ‘permanent’ stay in Udinese being a very short one.
“We’re certainly pleased with the impact Nicolò has had in Udine and the very positive season, but now we’ll need to find a new salary agreement to ensure his continued presence is truly built on solid foundations,” he said.
“The dynamic that brought Nicolò to Udine last summer was characterised by a race against time, in the final minutes of the transfer market, and consequently, the contractual terms of Nicolò’s salary, in the event of a permanent buyout, did not reflect his true value.
“However, in consultation with Udinese, we have chosen to sign and close the deal with the promise to sit down and agree on new terms before exercising the buy-back option. In recent days, we have held intensive discussions with Udinese to reach an agreement on the figures, but despite the efforts of both parties, an agreement has not yet been reached.
“From a sporting perspective, the partnership between Zaniolo and Udinese worked very well last season; the player is beloved by the club. Today, Nicolò feels bitter and disappointed by the dynamics that led to this buy-out, but we’re waiting for a meeting with Udinese to clarify our positions, hoping to reach an agreement that satisfies both parties.
“Any time could be a good time to find a solution, but under current conditions it’s impossible to think of staying where there’s no satisfactory agreement.”
What now?
A meeting between the parties is therefore on the agenda to seek a new agreement. In this last season, which featured six goals and as many assists, Udinese gave Zaniolo a net salary of €1.8m. It made him their highest paid player, but now he wants €3m per year.
If the deal goes nowhere, Udinese would demand at least €15m to sell Zaniolo, especially since Galatasaray will get 50% of the proceeds from a future resale.
Zaniolo has delivered some of his best performances for Udinese against the very clubs now being linked with him: Juventus, Milan, and Lazio. It is worth remembering his agent was spotted at Casa Milan.
These are all destinations that would feel like revenge against his previous two teams in Serie A: Inter and Roma, who let him go.
Get him ASAP!!!
A perfect match! A superb player to watch.
He would be a better fit as the attacking midfielder to the right then, for example, Chukwueze.
We need a left footed player there, and if we can sell Chukwueze we should net + on Chuk out Zaniolo in.
Liberali likes this.
bargain
get him now
15m Zaniolo is bargain & if Amorim (tactics) need those kind of players (CAM), he should convince Liberali to back as rotation, his realease clause is 6m & we’ve 50% discount