Nicolo Zaniolo to leave Aston Villa as new concerns emerge – Sources
Aston Villa will not make their loan deal for Nicolo Zaniolo permanent this summer, sources have told Football Insider.
It is believed that the Italian is set to return to parent club Galatasaray at the end of the season despite joining on a loan-to-buy transfer with a “compulsory purchase option” if certain conditions are met.
Well-placed sources have told Football Insider that Villa chiefs consider Zaniolo’s historical and recent injury record a major worry and feel he won’t have a long-term impact at the Champions League-chasing side.
He arrived at Villa Park with a groin injury and has missed a total of 105 matches since the start of the 2020-21 campaign – most of which came during his time at Serie A side Roma.
Aston Villa attacker Nicolo Zaniolo has no long-term future
After earning regular starts in the Premier League and Europa Conference League following his arrival, the 24-year-old has slipped down the pecking order in recent months.
Manager Unai Emery last handed him a league start in their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth on 3 December.
Despite his versatility, he has since played just 62 minutes of league action and has not featured in five of their last 11 games.
Across 26 appearances in all competitions for the Villans, he has bagged just two goals.
Aston Villa sit fourth in the Premier League table after their 2-1 away win against Fulham on Saturday (17 February).
They are next in action against Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon (24 February).
In other news, Revealed: Aston Villa at risk of £30m+ blow – Man City could rescue them.
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