Nottingham Forest have arguably been the busiest Premier League club in the transfer market since winning promotion in May, and now they are being linked with a player who could be their biggest statement signing to date.
AS Roma’s Nicolò Zaniolo was the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, and Antonio Conte’s struggling side are reportedly back in for the Italian this month, but they are said to have company in the ambitious Reds, according to a report from Get Italian Football News.
The 23-year-old Zaniolo is comfortable in a variety of positions and has scored 24 goals and registered 18 assists in 128 games since joining Roma from Inter Milan in 2018.
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But after showing huge promise as a youngster, significant injuries have seen his development and progression suffer, and this season his own performances have taken a real hit, yielding just one goal in 13 Serie A appearances.
In fact, according to Get Italian Football News, Zaniolo was recently booed by his own fans during a Coppa Italia clash with Genoa, prompting Roma boss Jose Mourinho to publicly jump to the defence of his player.
On that basis, a change of scenery seems likely for the 11-cap senior Italy international, and with 18 months left on his Roma contract a move this window or in the summer could happen.
With struggling West Ham and resurgent Newcastle also said to be keen on the versatile forward, Forest face tough competition for a player now said to be valued at around £27m. But that is unlikely to be an issue for Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who has already invested north of £150m in his team this season.
And Reds boss Steve Cooper is keen to add firepower to his team as they bid to ensure they are not one-season wonders back in the top-flight after a 23-year exile.
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