Nicolo Zaniolo finished at Aston Villa as Fabrizio Romano shares transfer update
Nicolo Zaniolo’s time at Aston Villa is “done” and Unai Emery’s side will not look to secure his signature again this summer, according to Alan Hutton.
The Italian was signed on loan from Galatasaray last season and had a mixed campaign at Villa Park, impressing flashes but failing to find a consistent place in the starting XI before his loan spell was ended by injury.
After the 24-year-old returned to Turkey at the end of the season, Fabrizio Romano (3 June) has suggested that he has emerged as a priority target for Villarreal this summer with several Italian clubs also keen on signing him.
While that means time is running out for Villa to swoop in and get their man for another season, Hutton admits that he doesn’t think Zaniolo showed enough in his loan spell to convince Emery to make his stay permanent.
“To be honest, I think his time is probably done,” Hutton exclusively told Villa News.
“I think at times he showed flashes of what he was capable of, but it probably wasn’t enough if I am being totally honest.
“Again, I think he was suited to the Premier League. He’s some size, I didn’t realise he was that big, physically imposing and technically very good. I do think the likes of the Italian league and the Spanish league do suit him the way he likes to play.
“It was just unfortunate that he got injured towards the end of the season. He comes across as a player to me who needs to play regular football week in and week out to really see the best of him and I don’t think he was ever going to get that at Villa.
“Moving forward, I think it would be the same and he would be seen more as a squad player who could come in and impact that sort of way. I really don’t think that works for him.”
Will Aston Villa and NSWE move to sign Nicolo Zaniolo permanently in the summer transfer window?
Emery will be desperate to add to his playing squad this summer as he attempts to prepare the Villans for a return to the Champions League, but he will have to ensure his club remain within the profit and sustainability rules.
Those regulations mean that the Villans are unlikely to be throwing money around recklessly in the transfer window. Previously, they may well have gambled on bringing Zaniolo back to Villa Park but that isn’t feasible anymore.
As Hutton suggested, the Italian did little more than impress in brief flashes so there won’t be too many supporters losing sleep over his absence, especially with Jacob Ramsey and Emi Buendia set to return from injury.
Hopefully, it won’t be too long until the Villa recruitment team moves to add some fresh faces to their squad.
In other Aston Villa news, NSWE are understood to be ready to afford the fee needed to win the transfer race for Archie Brown
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