Nicolò Zaniolo’s mother Francesca appeared in a conversation with Il Corriere dello Sport. AS Roma sold Nicolò Zaniolo this month for 29.5 million euros to Galatasaray, but could have received (almost) double for the midfielder a year ago.
Zaniolo shot Roma to victory in the Conference League final against Feyenoord in May last year and enjoyed extensive interest from AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur. According to his mother, the reigning champion of Italy and Spurs would have paid fifty to sixty million euros for the midfielder, who ended up sidelined at Roma this season.
Mother Zaniolo saw that after the Conference League final against Feyenoord, the relationship between her son and the club management deteriorated. She states that her son was counting on a new contract with the Romans, but the club would have had other plans. “Nicolò was told he was going to be sold. He felt pushed aside,” she said.
Zaniolo was left out of the selection for the duels with Fiorentina, Spezia and Napoli last month. And did not play against Empoli either. She added, “After that it was said that he refused to play, that he would be a traitor. People don’t know that he used to play with injections before because of a shoulder injury. An intolerable situation arose when Nicolò was insulted and threatened by supporters. As a family, we also got worried. We are eternally grateful to the supporters who believed him and supported him.”
Francesca admits the transfer was a shame
Zaniolo’s absence was questioned before the game against Fiorentina. “When Nicolò was not called up for the game against Fiorentina, he was shaking. The doctors saw that too. I don’t know if it was the flu or stress, but he was not doing well,” said Zaniolo’s mother, who denies that her son was aiming for a break with Roma at the time.
Galatasaray relieved Italy’s eleven-time international from Roma. He turned down an offer from Bournemouth. Talks between Roma and Milan came to nothing in January, says mother Zaniolo. She states that few Roma teammates have messaged her son after his departure. Francesca concluded, “Nicolò always had a good relationship with the guys in the dressing room. So I think that’s a shame.”
