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Milan (AFP) – Roma coach Jose Mourinho confirmed on Saturday that international Nicolo Zaniolo will not be in the team’s list on the eve of the upcoming confrontation with Napoli, the leaders of the Italian Football League, following a dispute over his refusal to move to Bournemouth.
Zaniolo refused to include his name in the list of the winning team over Spezia 2-0 in the last stage, but Mourinho and the club’s management decided this time to keep the 23-year-old out of the team to face Napoli, which is seeking to win the league title for the first time in more than three decades.
According to widespread reports in Italy, Roma is angry with Zaniolo for refusing to move to Bournemouth in a deal valued at 30 million euros ($32.6 million) following talks broke down between the capital club and Milan this week for a possible transfer to the “Rossoneri”, and he did not even meet with representatives of the English club. who traveled to Italy to make the deal.
And Mourinho had said following the victory over Spezia that he believed that Zaniolo would remain in the ranks of Rome, which seeks to qualify for the Champions League competition following the closing of the winter transfer window.
“Unfortunately, it seems I was right,” said the former Real Madrid, Chelsea and Inter coach.
And he continued, “I say, unfortunately, because the player has been saying for a month that he wants to leave,” and “when a player says to the coach, the club, and his companions: + I do not want to play for Roma, I do not want to wear the Roma shirt, I do not want to train with my teammates … I want happy players.” They allow other players to be happy.”
And he added, “It is not available, it is not part of the project.”
Zaniolo is considered one of the brightest young talents in Italy when he appeared with Roma as a teenager, but he suffered serious injuries to his knees, which limited the glow of his brilliance.
He resisted last season to return to his previous level, and under Mourinho’s leadership he was a key factor in Roma winning the “Conference League” competition, as he scored the winning goal in the final once morest Feyenoord to bring the capital club its first major European title in its history.
However, Zaniolo’s performance declined this season, as the stardom of the newcomer, Argentine world champion Paulo Dybala, overshadowed Mourinho’s team.
Neither the club nor the player have any intention of extending the contract between them, which expires in June next year, likely leaving Zaniolo on the sidelines for several months before arranging a deal to leave in the summer.
© 2023 AFP