Aston Villa have been looking to seal the signing of Galatasaray midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo this summer and a new update has now emerged regarding the situation.
Do Astn Villa want Nicolo Zaniolo?
The Villans made a dreadful start to their Premier League campaign on Saturday evening, falling to a shock 5-1 defeat away to Newcastle United.
In a game that many expected to be tight, Unai Emery's side were torn to shreds the more the minutes ticked by at St James' Park, with a serious knee injury to Tyrone Mings compounding their misery.
While Villa are still expected to have a good season, despite this setback, it was also a match that showed that further reinforcements are needed in the summer transfer window, as they challenge across four different competitions in 2023/24.
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One player who has been constantly linked with a move to Villa Park in recent days is Zaniolo, who only joined Galatasaray back in January but is seemingly open to sealing a switch elsewhere before deadline day arrives. A new update has now emerged regarding the Villans' pursuit of the attacking midfielder, who is still only 24 years of age.
Will Aston Villa sign Nicolo Zaniolo?
According to Sport Witness [via Calciomercato], Villa's interest in Zaniolo is "more than real" at the moment, with Emiliano Buendia's long-term injury further highlighting the need to sign him.
The report also states that Galatasaray are "not blocking" the exit door for the Italy international and he was left out of their most recent matchday squad against Kayserispor on Saturday.
However, the story adds that the Turkish champions have rejected Aston Villa’s opening €30m package, with those in the Midlands making a new improved proposal that includes a €5m loan fee with an option to buy set at €27m, with Zaniolo already saying yes to a move.
There could be understandable concerns about Zaniolo's injury record when it comes to Villa snapping him up this summer, but he does appear to have overcome the worst of them, making 10 Turkish Super Lig performances since arriving midway through last season.
He could be exactly what Villa are looking for in their midfield, in terms of providing extra creativity in front of the likes of John McGinn and Youri Tielemans, and his past pedigree speaks for itself.
Zaniolo made 128 appearances for Roma, showing that he can shine for a top European club, while 13 caps for Italy could be far more without the injuries. He has been lauded as "incredible" by former teammate Daniele De Rossi in the past, and at 24, there could still be so much to come from him, with his best years ahead of him if he can remain fit for long periods.
The fact that Galatasaray are seemingly happy for him to move on at the right price is an added bonus for Villa, who look to have a relatively clear path when it comes to acquiring his signature.
There shouldn't be an overreaction after the defeat to Newcastle, but equally, it was a sobering evening that did show that the Villans could do with bolstering their squad before the deadline.
Bringing in Zaniolo may immediately make them more of a force, however, giving them an extra attacking spark and someone who can provide end product from the middle of the park, having scored 24 goals for Roma.