Jose Mourinho was asked to share an update regarding the situation of Nicolo Zaniolo who recently asked to leave the club before the end of this transfer window, thus excluding himself from Roma’s official games for the time being.
Following the final whistle to Roma’s win over Spezia, Mourinho addressed the situation from his point of view.
“Tiago Pinto already told you all about it, and I think he did a great job of it,” Mourinho told DAZN.
“The important thing is that we won the game, that we played well as a team and then let’s see what happens,” he added.
“I have a gut feeling which tells me that on February 1st he will be here. The transfer window is open, and Nicolo’s wish is to leave but in the end I think he’ll stay with us. He told us he wants to leave but it’s not certain he will.”
“Why? Usually when a player wants to leave, and lets you know about it, it’s because there’s an important offer on the table. But so far there’s nothing for Zaniolo. That’s why I think he’ll be here a week from now.”
“If he stays we’ll handle it the way these things must be handled,” Mourinho continued. “Those who work and deserve to play will play, those who work less and don’t deserve to play won’t play. And sometimes injustices are done as I did today by leaving people on the bench who work so hard to play. I always try to do the best for the team, from the first day as coach until the last. I always try to do what I think is best for the team. If Nicolò will be with us, he will be one more player on the roster.”
“I actually have an excellent relationship with Zaniolo, I have always tried to help him and he has always responded with incredible effort,” he added.
“That’s why when people expect more goals or more assists from someone who gives everything. I always defend him and I’ve always been by his side.”
“Right now he wants to leave, it’s something I have to accept. But where is the acceptable offer for Roma that could help us? Because if Nicolò goes away, someone has to come. And if he goes to spend six months somewhere else, even if it’s in a good league or a good team, he certainly wouldn’t go in exchange for anything. Because this is an unacceptable situation and I’m sorry that Tiago Pinto comes out as the villain of the story, he is not the villain but someone who defends the interests of Roma.”
“I saw the media mention the names of Deulofeu and Ziyech, but we’re not thinking about them because I don’t think anything will happen with Zaniolo,” he concluded.
