Zaniolo hits out at Roma for treating him as a 'capital gain'

Peter Thompson
Stats Perform
Nicolo Zaniolo has taken aim at Roma
Nicolo Zaniolo has taken aim at Roma

Nicolo Zaniolo hit out at Roma for "unfulfilled promises" and treating him as a "capital gain" after he joined Galatasaray last month.

Zaniolo left the Eternal City giants to join the Turkish Super Lig leaders for a fee €16.5million early in February.

The Italy midfielder had been expected to move on during the January transfer window, but he turned down a move to Premier League strugglers Bournemouth.

Zaniolo signed a four-year deal with Galatasaray after being left out on in the cold at Roma and the 23-year-old has pointed the finger at his former club over the way he was treated.

He told the Gazzetta dello Sport: "I could talk for hours about unfulfilled promises. They [Roma] told me I was a spearhead, instead I've always been considered just a capital gain.

"For two years I was told that the new contract was ready. In January of last year I would have signed for slightly more than what I was earning, because I was fine in Rome and I knew there were problems with Financial Fair Play. After much talk I'm bored. If I have to reflect on my farewell, I think others must do it too."

Zaniolo was hurt by being called a traitor.

He added: "It's something I'm very sorry about. Roma gave me everything, thanks to Roma I won and I made my debut for the national team, my son was born there. Being labelled that way was a big blow."

Zaniolo continued: "The truth will come out. I'm just saying that I've always trained, even if not with the others."

Much was made of a supposed fall-out between Zaniolo and Jose Mourinho, but the playmaker has no problem with the Roma head coach.

"He's a great coach and a great person," Zaniolo said of his old boss. "He made me play almost always. Sure, he's used to managing star players and I wasn't [one]. I would have liked to have him in four or five years, but he gave me so much anyway."

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Serie ARomaNicolo Zaniolo