Back in early December, Arsenal made one of their many regular trips to watch Cengiz Ünder, yet Il Messaggero believed they might have gone home with another name in mind: Nicolo Zaniolo.
The attacking midfielder is the latest in a list of youngsters to have been given a chance by Eusebio di Francesco at Roma, and, like the others, he grabbed it with both hands.
Slowly but surely, the 19-year-old has become a regular for the Serie A side, starting the last six games in the league against teams such as Inter and Juventus.
December’s report from Il Messaggero stated the Arsenal scout will have found it ‘difficult’ to return home without being impressed with Zaniolo, and they weren’t wrong.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday, both the Gunners and Chelsea have asked their scouts for a ’detailed report’ on the attacking midfielder, wanting to know about the latest Italian starlet.
To protect themselves from any further youth brain drain, Roma are said to be working on a new contract for Zaniolo, one that would keep him there until 2024, with the possibility of a release clause being inserted.
We doubt Arsenal or Chelsea will be making a bid anytime soon, as their movements suggest more curiosity than genuine interest, but for the Italians it’s all about ’better safe than sorry’.
