After Manchester United, Chelsea are also on red alert as the race to sign AS Roma playmaker Nicolo Zaniolo hots up this summer.
According to Calciomercato, Chelsea are among the clubs closely monitoring the situation of Nicolo Zaniolo. The AS Roma playmaker has recently returned to full fitness after a long injury layoff and might be cleared for action after Easter.
The report comes just a few days after Il Messaggero’s claims that suggested that Manchester United were on the prowl for Zaniolo, with the Premier League giants ready to table a €30 million offer for him. They are also reportedly willing to offer a handsome €5 million per year salary in an attempt to lure him to England.
AS Roma, though, do consider Zaniolo to be a vital part of the club’s future despite the playmaker’s fair share of injuries over the past 18 months. In fact, the recurring ACL problems have kept the Italian international out on the sidelines for the majority of the past two seasons, with the player yet to make a single appearance in the 2020/21 campaign.
It doesn’t deter Chelsea, however, with Thomas Tuchel keen on reinforcements in the creative department despite boasting the services of a world-class unit at Stamford Bridge.
The German tactician is particularly hoping to replace Hakim Ziyech as the Moroccan international clearly hasn’t been able to live up to the expectations in the Premier League. In Zaniolo, Tuchel can not only find an ideal replacement for Ziyech but also a potential upgrade as the Roma youngster is a more tactically astute operator in the final third.
Thanks to Paulo Fonseca, the former Fiorentina prodigy has learned to play in a variety of attacking roles that could aid Tuchel in his bid to accommodate the player in his tactical setup.
Manchester United, too, make a strong case for the Italian as they believe he can be an ideal alternative for Bruno Fernandes and an equally perfect replacement for Danny van de Beek, who is facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford. There are reports that suggest that the Dutchman can be used as a potential makeweight in a deal to sign top target Jadon Sancho this summer.
As for Zaniolo, he is a versatile star who can cover a lot of areas in midfield and attack while boasting undisputed talent in the technical side of the game. And at the age of just 21, the Italian international could be a smart long-term investment for both these Premier League giants in the upcoming summer transfer window.