Galatasaray winger Nicolo Zaniolo says he misses Italy and wants to return to play in Serie A. The former Roma prospect fell out with the Giallorossi before making the move to Türkiye, before joining Aston Villa on loan. Speaking with Corriere dello Sport, Zaniolo confirmed that he wants to return to his homeland this summer, saying he misses Italy:
“I want Serie A back. I miss Italy a lot: the family, friends, my son… Now, however, it’s up to the clubs to define my future, as my contract belongs to Galatasaray. Meanwhile, I want to express my gratitude to Monchi, who once again believed in me after bringing me to Roma at 19. AC Milan? Who knows… I asked my agent to inform me only if there is something concrete. Surely, out of respect for what Roma represented for me and for the fans of Lazio, a move to the Biancocelesti would be unthinkable.”
“The tour with the National Team in the United States went very well, it was an opportunity to get to know each other better and work together. The goal? It means it will come in a more important match. I hope at the Euros; since I was a child, I dreamed of playing in a major competition with the National Team, and now I will do everything possible to be called up. My relationship with Spalletti is excellent, I like his style of play, and I am learning a lot.”
“At Aston Villa, I deserve more playing time, but I can say that Emery is one of the strongest coaches; I put him on the same level as Guardiola, Klopp, and Mourinho. He’s improving me in every aspect. I’m sorry for Mou’s dismissal, I didn’t expect it, but I’m not surprised by De Rossi’s positive impact: even when he played, he was a coach on the field, an amazing captain.”
“It was a great reciprocated love story, but as in life, things also end in football. And when that happens, it’s better to part ways, although I cherish great memories. Nothing special happened; the connection with Roma was lost, and together we decided it didn’t make sense to continue.”
“The Premier League? It’s a fascinating and challenging league, you always train at full throttle, and there’s a very high intensity on the field; the fans enjoy themselves at the stadium but treat the players with discretion off the pitch. I’m playing less than expected, but I believe that a period of adaptation in a new country is natural; when I arrived, I didn’t even speak English, it was difficult to settle in, especially because many teammates are married, and I spent a lot of time alone.”
“Galatasaray? I gave everything, but even in that case, I didn’t leave for a specific reason. It was my first experience abroad, and for an Italian, the Turkish reality is hard to understand; fortunately, though, I found many fellow countrymen. Now let’s see what will happen in the summer.”
