When Aston Villa agreed to sign Nicolo Zaniolo from Galatasaray during last summer’s transfer window, they negotiated a conditional obligation to buy that could take their total outlay to £38m, including loan fees and add-ons.
Zaniolo has played 26 games for Unai Emery’s side thus far, but it seems as if his stay at Villa Park will ultimately prove to be a brief one. It’s already been reported that Villa have decided to move on at the end of the season, spurning Galatasaray’s hopes of securing a “huge” windfall.
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The Villa ace has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season.
Emery has seen Zaniolo as a “disappointment” this term, and the Italian is now preparing to leave after both parties decided it was in their best interests to part ways.
Emery already assessing Zaniolo alternatives
Speaking to GiveMeSport, transfer insider Dean Jones corroborated the aforementioned reports that Zaniolo will leave, but added that Villa are already running the rule over other players in similar positions.
“I think it will probably be the case that Zaniolo does leave Villa at the end of his loan spell. I think he is a good player and still has potential to grow into this season if he can get more opportunities, but will he get opportunities? That’s the big question for him right now. What will his patience level be like?
“I don’t know whether it would make much sense from a club or player perspective to turn this into a permanent transfer at the end of the season. We know that Aston Villa are continuing to browse the market for potential options for the summer, and I think that means they’re not convinced on signing Zaniolo at this point in time.”
Which replacements have Villa already looked at?
The challenge of replacing Zaniolo is that he’s a particularly versatile player who’s already appeared in six different roles. Capable of operating on either flank, he’s also featured as a number 10, number nine and something of a ‘nine a half’.
Apps | |
|---|---|
Left wing | 5 |
Attacking midfield | 3 |
Left midfield | 3 |
Right wing | 3 |
Second striker | 1 |
Centre-forward | 1 |
One player familiar to Premier League audiences who could fit the bill is West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta, the subject of interest from Villa, Manchester City, Manchester United, Spurs and Arsenal. Paqueta’s preference is to join the reigning champions, but if that move doesn’t materialise, Emery’s side have made it clear that they’re ready to pounce, despite the player’s £80m release clause.
Another candidate who’s emerged more recently is Red Bull Salzburg’s Oscar Gloukh, who plays an attacking midfielder. Villa hold a “concrete” interest in the Israeli teenager and have conducted “extensive scouting” ahead of the summer transfer window. Significantly, he’s valued at £50m, and while that would still be a hefty outlay, it makes him far cheaper than Paqueta.
