Nicolò Zaniolo has said his year at Aston Villa has made him a more mature player than he once was, as he gets set to start anew at Atalanta.
The midfielder has been speaking at a press conference today, relayed by FC Inter News, about various subjects, including his brief time in the Premier League.
Zaniolo spent last season on loan with Aston Villa from Galatasaray, with director of football Monchi moving to take him to Villa Park after working with him at Roma for a brief period.
Sadly, unlike most of the players at Aston Villa, the Italian midfielder was unable to really kick on under Unai Emery, managing just three goals in 39 games and largely having a substitute role under the Spaniard throughout last season.
Aston Villa decided not to turn his loan deal into a permanent one and he’s instead made another move, this time joining Europa League champions Atalanta on loan until the end of the season.
That means a return to Italy for the first time since he left in 2023, but he insists his time away, particularly in England, has changed him.
“When I left Rome, I wanted to have another experience, abroad, because it makes you mature as a person and as a man,” he said.
“I needed and wanted to change; this doesn’t mean that I would erase everything about these two years. So many things negative, but also positive. Now I’m happy to be back in Italy and I can’t wait to get started.
“When you change country, you leave home, your family, your comfort zone. Do you want to be mature or not? So I went to England, the culture was different, the way of life too. I feel very mature, the Premier League is a championship different to Serie A, this experience has been added to my baggage.”
