Milan have submitted an offer for Roma forward Nicolo Zaniolo, but the Giallorossi are waiting for better terms. The Rossoneri have emerged as surprising front-runners to sign the 23-year-old during the January transfer window, despite strong interest from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
Sky Sport Italia transfer specialist Gianluca Di Marzio now reports that it is a ‘tug-of-war’ between Roma and Milan, who view Zaniolo as a suitable profile to reinforce the squad.
For the moment, negotiations haven’t ‘taken off’, writes Di Marzio. Milan initially offered a loan with a buy-back obligation in case of Champions League qualification to convince Roma to sell. The Rossoneri would also like to tie the redemption to the player’s number of appearances, an offer that makes the club’s intentions clear, but it’s still not enough to convince the Giallorossi.
Roma have reiterated how the will is to sell Zaniolo only on an outright basis or with a sure redemption obligation, therefore not conditioned by Champions League qualification. The lack of certainty of redemption represents one of the biggest obstacles in the negotiation, then. But not the only one.
Milan’s financial proposal is around €18-19m plus bonuses, for a total of €22m. The Giallorossi continue to hold out for a higher figure, around €35-40m.
For now, the Milan management is intent on waiting for the situation to evolve, hoping that the ‘compromised’ relationship between Roma and Zaniolo will force their hand to sell him before the window closes.
