Nicolò Zaniolo was again caught in the crosshairs due to off-the-pitch drama, but he responded versus Spezia by helping Roma get a late win. The attacker was under fire for liking a few Instagram posts by Juventus players following the Empoli match, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports.
The starlet is not so secretly one of the main targets of the Bianconeri. His contract with La Lupa is not long-term. It runs out in 2024, which lowers his price tag. He was a fan of the Old Lady when he was a kid.
Zaniolo might have reacted poorly to the news he was not going to start in Spezia-Roma. According to the outlet, José Mourinho opted for a soft punishment because he did not gut it out against Verona. The forward sat out due to a bruised thigh while the Giallorossi were dealing with several absences. Still, the Italian international came off the bench well Sunday. He drew a late penalty kick by diving on a loose ball and getting kicked in the face, which left a visible mark.
Zaniolo seemed ready to put pen-to-paper with Roma a few weeks ago. However, the front office did not make the offer he was hoping for, Gazzetta adds. His stance might have changed since then. “We have to look at the whole team and not at single players,” CEO Tiago Pinto stated in a recent presser while replying to a question about the star’s extension. The pressure by Juventus will continue to intensify until the summer.