Roma’s Polish winger Nicola Zalewski has finally spoken out about the period when the club had excluded him from the squad due to ongoing negotiations with Turkish side Galatasaray. The transfer saga lasted for days before ultimately falling through.
In a candid interview from the Polish national team camp, Zalewski admitted, “I won’t lie: I was very close to completing the transfer to Galatasaray. There was a very good offer on the table, but I thought it over, I spoke to my family, and I think that I did what was the best thing for me.”
The young player expressed satisfaction with his current situation at Roma, stating, “I have played recently and got back into the squad, so I am very happy. My objective is to play football and enjoy myself.”
Despite Zalewski’s decision to stay, Roma is still in the market for a winger in the January transfer window. The club is reportedly considering players like Boga and Laurienté, especially in light of Saelemaekers’ injury.
This development comes after a tumultuous period where Zalewski was frozen out of the Roma squad following his refusal to join Galatasaray. The Turkish club had reportedly reached an agreement with Roma for a transfer fee of over €10 million, including bonuses and a percentage on future resale.
Zalewski’s decision to stay at Roma marks a significant turn of events, especially considering he had also rejected a contract renewal offer from the club. The new contract would have increased his salary from €350,000 to over €1 million net per year.
