Nicolo Zaniolo had a mixed loan stint at Aston Villa during the 2023/24 season.
The Italian had joined on loan from Galatasaray. After his time in Birmingham, he joined Atalanta on loan and in January,he moved to Fiorentina.
La Viola took on Panathinaikos in the Conference League Round of 16 first leg yesterday and Zaniolo spoke to DAZN Italy before the clash, which saw the Greek club pick up a 3-2 win.
The winger looked back positively on his time at Aston Villa, stating that he now wants to make a big mark in Florence.
He said, as relayed by Corriere dello Sport: “In recent years I have played with several teams: I went to Turkey to play for Galatasaray and to the Premier League to play for Aston Villa. It was a very formative experience for me because I left home and so I am very happy to have done it.”
Speaking further about his goals at Fiorentina, the 25-year-old stated:
“We played great games, especially in the Champions League [at Atalanta], but we were also doing very well in the league. However, a player wants to play, he wants to be 100% part of a project and so I preferred to change.
“At Atalanta the team was always winning and there was also little space for me, I decided to come to Florence to get back into the game.”
Considering how Zaniolo played 27 games in all competitions for Aston Villa, his stint in England definitely helped him make a fresh start in his career.
After all, his stint at Roma ended in an ugly manner and a raft of injuries had derailed his progress before the move to Turkey.
Now, he is fitter and more available and his goal should be to impress at Fiorentina and then potentially return to the fold for the Italian national team.
