Nicolò Zaniolo surprisingly wasn’t selected in the starting lineup as Roma faced Sampdoria Monday since he hadn’t played in Europa League due to a red card. José Mourinho went with Andrea Belotti and Tammy Abraham from the start but praised the starlet for his contribution off the bench.
As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the attacker is keen on extending his contract, but the Giallorossi are buying time. Director Tiago Pinto and agent Claudio Vigorelli have an agreement in principle, but ownership has yet to sign off on it. The white smoke could arrive in the upcoming World Cup break.
According to Il Tempo, Zaniolo and his representative asked Roma to be on a par with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Tammy Abraham, the highest-paid players on the squad. The duo earns over €4M per year. Instead, the club is offering slightly less. The attacker hasn’t been particularly effective in the first portion of the season. His last goal dates back to the European Conference League final. He has posted one assist in eight appearances so far.
The parties are about €500k apart. It’s not yet clear whether the new deal will contain a release clause. The 23-year-old wishes to be adequately rewarded after the capital side turned down a rich offer from Tottenham in the summer. However, his inconsistent performances haven’t helped his case. He’s currently under contract until 2024.
Our Take on Zaniolo and Roma
The more time he’s removed from his major knee injuries, the more pressure he faces to finally make the leap and become a top player. It’s starting to be a “Waiting for Godot” situation. The Giallorossi are wise to bide time before giving him the bag.
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