Jose Mourinho cannot guarantee that Nicolo Zaniolo will stay at Roma beyond the transfer deadline, amidst reports of Tottenham’s persistence.
The Italian playmaker is believed to be in contract negotiations with the Serie A club, but that has reportedly not stopped Spurs from continuing their pursuit for him.
Mourinho hugely values the 23-year-old at Roma, where he scored the game-winning goal in last season’s UEFA Conference League final against Feyenoord.
His current contract is set to expire in the summer of 2024, raising concerns that Roma will have to consider offers in the upcoming transfer windows before his value begins to decline.
Spurs have already had a bid rejected for the Italian and according to Daily Express, Roma also waived off a loan offer with an option to buy.
In the pre-match press conference, when asked about Zaniolo, he said (via Football Italia):
“Zaniolo looks very sharp and physically agile, as it’s not easy for a player like him to maintain that intensity for 90 minutes. He deserves the credit for training hard and having the right motivation.
“If he remains or not, that’s a question for the director, not for me. If you ask me, I’d love him to remain, obviously. He is an important player for us, a key piece of the puzzle to bring together all the characteristics of our players.”
Tottenham’s transfer business is not yet over after Conte stated that if players leave this summer they will be replaced. With Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso completing loan deals away from Spurs in the past week, it frees up space for a new signing or two.
And from Jose Mourinho’s comments one can interpret that if Spurs make a worthwhile offer to Roma, they will accept the offer for the Italian playmaker. Looks like the ball is in Tottenham’s court now.