Former Torino sporting director Massimo Bava has revealed that the club was ‘very close’ to signing Nicolo Zaniolo back in 2016.
Zaniolo was only 17 at the time of his move to Virtus Entella, having just been released by Fiorentina, and the attacking midfielder has gone on to star for Roma and Italy.
However, Bava claims he could have been bound for Toro and not Entella, explaining what had put him off from adding the 20-year-old to the club’s youth academy.
Former Torino sporting director Massimo Bava has revealed that the club was ‘very close’ to signing Nicolo Zaniolo back in 2016.
Zaniolo was only 17 at the time of his move to Virtus Entella, having just been released by Fiorentina, and the attacking midfielder has gone on to star for Roma and Italy.
However, Bava claims he could have been bound for Toro and not Entella, explaining what had put him off from adding the 20-year-old to the club’s youth academy.
“In 2016 I was very close to taking Nicolo Zaniolo, who had just left Fiorentina,” he said on Facebook.
“I thought he was a tidy player when I watched him, but a coach told me he didn’t have the best head and we took too long.
“I tried to get back to the office, but by then he’d signed with Virtus Entella.”
Bava was replaced as the Granata’s sporting director by Davide Vagnati last week but has since reverted to his previous role of youth chief.