Gennaro Gattuso is once again looking to add a dash of creative flair to his midfield, and this time his gaze has settled on a familiar face. GoalZaza...
Gennaro Gattuso is once again looking to add a dash of creative flair to his midfield, and this time his gaze has settled on a familiar face. GoalZaza can confirm that the Lazio boss is actively pursuing a move for Nicolo Zaniolo, the former Roma prodigy whose stock, while dented by injury, remains tantalisingly high. The Italian international is currently caught in a contractual stalemate at Udinese, a situation that has pricked the ears of several Serie A observers.You have to wonder what could have been for Zaniolo. A player who once looked destined to lead the Azzurri's next golden generation, his career has been a frustrating mix of breathtaking dribbles and cruel injury setbacks. At Udinese, he has shown flickers of that old magic, but the financial wrangling over a new deal suggests a parting of ways is becoming increasingly inevitable. For Gattuso, a manager who values grit as much as guile, Zaniolo represents a calculated gamble. Can the former Roma star rediscover the clinical finishing and transitional threat that made him one of Europe's most sought after youngsters Gattuso clearly believes he can.The tactical fit is an intriguing one. Lazio have at times looked blunt when required to break down a stubborn low block, lacking that individual spark in the final third. Zaniolo, when fit, offers precisely that: a powerful, direct runner who can operate between the lines or out wide. He is not a passenger; his work rate suits Gattuso's demands for relentless pressing from the front. If the deal gets over the line, it would be a statement of intent from the Biancocelesti, a signal that they are not content merely to make up the numbers in the race for European places.Of course, the numbers must make sense. Udinese, shrewd operators that they are, will not let one of their prized assets leave on the cheap despite the contract impasse. But with Zaniolo's head perhaps turned and Gattuso's persistence a known quantity, this is one to watch. For the neutral, it is a chance to see a player with genuine talent finally given a stage that matches his ambition. For Lazio fans, it is a flicker of hope that the coming season might just hold something special. The ball, as they say, is in the agent's court.
