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Agent Zaniolo: "He was hoping for a call from Gattuso. The future? He’s happy in Udine, but we’re taking it one step at a time."

Udinese
Galatasaray
Italy
N. Zaniolo
Transfers

The striker’s future remains uncertain, and hopes of a call-up to the national team remain high.

For better or worse, Nicolò Zaniolo is always in the news. During this international break, in which Italy are vying for a place at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, the Udinese playmaker has not been included in Gennaro Gattuso’s squad, despite his excellent form.


The player’s agent, Claudio Vigorelli, interviewed by Il Gazzettino del Friuli, confirmed just how keen the former Roma player was to return to the Azzurri squad, whilst regarding his future, he left the door open to various scenarios.


  • VERY POPULAR IN TURKEY

    "He is still hugely popular in Turkey; he won the league with Galatasaray, and one of his goals secured them victory in a derby. He then had a difficult year in the Premier League, partly due to the betting scandal, but he came out of it in fine style. Apart from last season with Atalanta and Fiorentina, Nicolò has always been a leader and a key player. He has repeatedly shown the makings of a champion."

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  • THINGS ARE GOING WELL IN UDINE, BUT WE'RE TAKING IT ONE STEP AT A TIME

    "Udinese now have the option to buy him outright; I’m sure we’ll sit down as soon as possible to decide on the way forward. He’s absolutely thriving in Udine, that’s for sure. It’s part and parcel of football to imagine that other clubs might show interest, but we’re taking it one step at a time here: he’s happy in Udine, I’ll say it again. In the meantime, let’s focus on finalising the deal with Galatasaray."

  • HE WAS HOPING FOR ITALY

    "There’s no point in hiding the fact that he was hoping for it; the national team is a shared goal for all footballers. We’ve taken note of that, but it doesn’t mean the call-up can’t come later. We appreciate Gattuso’s transparency and his words, though; we’ll see what happens in the future."

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  • SHAKING OFF LABELS

    "There’s only one way to shake off the labels and the dust: to keep working hard and carry on performing as well as we are now. I’m sure they’ll gradually fade away; I don’t want to make excuses, but we can’t forget the injuries – he suffered a lot, he fell down and got back up in style."