Italian midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo has expressed his longing to return to Serie A, but has made it clear that a move to Lazio is out of the question. In an interview featured on the front page of Corriere dello Sport, Zaniolo stated, “Bring me back to Serie A! AS Roma remains in my heart, I’d never go to Lazio in my life.”
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Aston Villa midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo wants to return to his native Italy from Turkish side Galatasaray when his loan spell finishes at the Premier League club. (Corriere dello Sport) pic.twitter.com/RndEgMOQ6f
— EPLnews (@EPLnews24_7) March 26, 2024
Regarding his future, Zaniolo emphasized his focus is on Aston Villa, where he is currently on loan from Galatasaray. The player expressed his gratitude to Monchi, the sporting director who brought him to the Brmingham club, and acknowledged the challenges of adapting to Turkish football as an Italian player. He also pointed out that Galatasaray will have the final say on his future, as the loan deal with Aston Villa expires in the summer.
Despite his limited playing time at Aston Villa, Zaniolo spoke highly of manager Unai Emery, comparing him to the likes of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, and Jose Mourinho. “It’s true, I’m not having a lot of game time and I was expecting more… But I’m honest enough to say that Emery is a world-class coach” he told Corriere dello Sport.
Zaniolo, who will turn 25 in July, has made 20 appearances in the Premier League for Aston Villa during the 2023/24 season, mostly as a substitute, accumulating just 611 minutes of game time.