Nicolò Zaniolo has indicated in a statement to the Italian news agency ANSA that he will be available again for AS Roma. The attacking midfielder annex attacker wanted to leave at all costs last transfer period and was therefore already missing for the duels with Spezia (0-2 win), Napoli (1-0 defeat) and Cremonese (1-2 defeat). However, the board of Roma in particular does not seem to forgive Zaniolo for his refusal to work in recent times.
Zaniolo was in the clear interest of Bournemouth, which reportedly made an offer of 35 million euros. The board of the Romans was pleased with the amount offered, but Zaniolo himself did not want to play football against relegation with the number eighteen of the Premier League. The eleven-time international had set his sights on a move to AC Milan, but the offer from the Milanese, rent with an option to buy, did not appeal to the capitals. On the final day, a transfer to Milan seemed to be a possibility, but that did not happen. Zaniolo, meanwhile, opted for eggs for his money with a switch to Bournemouth, which had meanwhile been diverted and was no longer interested.
Roma is appalled by Zaniolo’s unprofessional attitude and so decided to ban him from group training until the end of the season. The 23-year-old technician has responded to the commotion surrounding his person by means of a statement. “A lot of things have been said and written about me in recent weeks and a lot of it isn’t true,” he begins. “I arrived in Rome as a stranger and Roma and its supporters have welcomed me as one of them. They gave me confidence, courage and affection in the dark days of my injuries,” Zaniolo refers to the two serious knee injuries he suffered in his time with Roma. Despite the fact that the playmaker was unable to fully reach his old level after those injuries, he continued to gain the confidence of trainer José Mourinho.
During last season’s Conference League final, he was the match winner against Feyenoord (1-0). “In Tirana, with that goal, I felt I had repaid everyone, by i romanisti to bring unforgettable joy. In the last months I went through an uncertain period, in which it was difficult to determine what my professional future would look like. Nevertheless, I have always shown myself with full professionalism on the field and during training”, he says. Zaniolo received the necessary threats from hooligans because of the transfer soap surrounding his person. “For the first time I was afraid for myself and for my family. I felt abandoned. This had never happened to me before and I was very scared. The future is in our hands: I open mine and make myself fully available to the Roma family.”