Why Tottenham should go back in the market for Nicolo Zaniolo

Back in July, a report from The Guardian had claimed that Tottenham were keeping close tabs on rising AS Roma starlet Nicolo Zaniolo with a view to a potential transfer during the summer window. 

The Lilywhites have held a long-standing interest in the 21-year-old and were even ready to offer as much as £30million for him in the summer of 2019 (h/t Guardian). However, talks over a potential transfer had failed to progress after Roma demanded a much higher fee to part ways with their prized asset.  

Zaniolo would be a perfect replacement for Alli at Tottenham

Dele Alli’s fall at Tottenham under Jose Mourinho this season has grabbed plenty of headlines. The England international has found his involvement restricted to just 6 appearances in all competitions so far after falling out of favour under the Portuguese gaffer. 

Very much a key player at the club over the past three seasons, the 24-year-old has even been omitted from several matchday squads in the PL this term. That pretty much sums up his significant fall from grace in North London and Tottenham will surely need to make a decision on his future if he doesn’t feature in Mourinho’s long-term plans.

Giovani Lo Celso has been widely tipped to evolve into a natural replacement for Christian Eriksen at the club, but the Argentine is yet to live up to the expectations. Now with Alli’s future also in doubt, the Lilywhites need to dive into a market for a new creative midfielder sooner than later. 

Hence, Tottenham should reignite their interest in Nicolo Zaniolo regardless of what the future holds for Alli. The elegant and hardworking left-footed ace has caught the eye with his rapid development in Italy, starting to deliver on his potential from a young age. 

The 21-year-old is predominantly a central attacking midfielder by trade but has showcased the versatility to slot into a box-to-box role and also on the flanks.

Verdict

With Alli slipping down the pecking order, Lo Celso struggling for consistency and Moussa Sissoko not getting any younger at 32, Tottenham will eventually need to bring in some talented young midfielders as a part of their long-term plans. 

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Nicolo Zaniolo has progressed by leaps and bounds at Roma over the past couple of seasons, which clearly indicates that he has a bright future ahead of him.

He’s not the finished article just yet but at 21, the youngster still has a lot of time to make significant improvements to his game. All in all, Tottenham making a renewed attempt to sign the Italian maestro in January would hand a much-needed boost to their creative options.