Leeds United could “take advantage” of Nicolò Zaniolo's desire to leave Roma as the Elland Road outfit look to secure the midfielder’s signature, transfer insider Dean Jones has suggested to GiveMeSport.
Jesse Marsch is looking to strengthen his squad before this evening’s transfer deadline as the Whites look to secure their Premier League status for next season.
Leeds transfer news – Nicolò Zaniolo
Sources in Italy have confirmed that Zaniolo is keen on a move to Leeds, though Everton and Southampton are also thought to be interested in a move for the attacking midfielder.
Football Insider has reported that the Whites have made a loan-to-buy offer for the Roma star, but the Serie A side would prefer a permanent deal with the 23-year-old desiring a move away from the Stadio Olimpico this month.
Having initially rejected a move worth close to £31m to Bournemouth last week, Zaniolo seemed to have had a change of heart and eventually accepted a move to the Vitality Stadium, only for reports to emerge that his flight had been cancelled, opening the door for Leeds to make a move.
CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has told GiveMeSport that the Whites are looking to sign Zaniolo in the same way they have Weston McKennie, with a loan move with the option to buy at the end of the season being touted.
And Jones believes that Leeds could now take advantage of the Italian’s desire to leave Roma in the coming hours.
What has Jones said about Leeds and Zaniolo?
Jones told GiveMeSport: “Leeds could take advantage of a tricky situation but they only wanted a loan and other clubs, including some in Italy, are having a look. We know Zaniolo is stuck between a rock and a hard place because he needs to leave Roma.”
Would Zaniolo be a good signing for Leeds?
Zaniolo would likely offer Leeds a creative presence in the middle of the park as well as acting as a versatile option who could play both out wide and in the centre-forward slot if required.
The 11-cap Italy international has made 128 appearances during his time at Roma, hitting the back of the net 24 times and providing 18 assists, suggesting that he can be a threat in the final third.
The 6 foot 3 star also compares favourably to his positional peers in some aspects of his game, ranking in the top 4% of attacking midfielders/wingers across Europe’s big five leagues as well as the Champions League and Europa League for total shots (3.71) and the top 11% for progressive passes received per 90 minutes (7.63) over the last 365 days, as per FBref.
Therefore, it looks as though Zaniolo’s future is up in the air and the next few hours will prove fascinating, with Marsch hoping that he can entice the Roma star to Elland Road for the remainder of the season.
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