Newcastle United have reportedly made an enquiry for AS Roma attacking midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo.
According to Corriere Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Newcastle United have made an enquiry for AS Roma attacking midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, who is on the radar of many other clubs as well. Tottenham Hotspur are another Premier League side showing interest in the Italy international, who have approached the Serie A side for the 22-year-old.
Zaniolo missed the entirety of the 2020/21 season due to an ACL injury, but he managed to largely stay fit in the recently-concluded campaign. He made 42 appearances for the club, scoring eight and assisting nine goals. He was also on the scoresheet in Roma’s 1-0 UEFA Europa Conference League final win over Feyenoord.
Newcastle are preparing for a summer overhaul under new owners and are keen to strengthen in multiple positions. The Magpies, after a disappointing first half of the 2021/22 season, came back strongly to finish 11th in the Premier League under new manager Eddie Howe.
New ownership has provided Howe with funds to oversee a rebuild, and adding reinforcements in the attacking department is high on their priority list. Zaniolo has emerged as an option, and the Magpies have made an enquiry as well.
A versatile operator, who can play out on the flanks or as a central attacking midfielder, Zaniol would add a lot of quality to the Newcastle United side. The 22-year-old Italian international could also help reduce the creative burden off the shoulders of Allan Saint-Maximin, who is usually Newcastle’s main spark in attack.
Newcastle, though, would have to face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, who are also keen on the former Inter Milan prospect. Indeed, the Lilywhites have been linked with Zaniolo for quite some time now, and have even offered a player-plus-cash deal for the winger.
However, the 22-year-old, who has two years left on his current contract with Jose Mourinho’s side, has no intention of leaving Italy just yet. So even though Newcastle and Tottenham are well placed to meet AS Roma’s demands, they will need to convince the player to make the move.
