What went wrong for Zaniolo at Roma and why Mourinho is not at fault

Nicolò Zaniolo has completed a permanent transfer to Galatasaray, so we look at what went wrong for the Italy international at Roma and why José Mourinho can’t be blamed for his exit.

The 23-year-old asked to leave the club in January, pushing to join Milan and rejecting an offer from Premier League side Bournemouth. His request was somehow surprising given that his agent Claudio Virgorelli was expected to meet the club to discuss a contract extension beyond 2024.

The Giallorossi delayed contract talks even after Zaniolo’s winner in the Conference League Final against Feyenoord in 2022. The Italy international had had highs and lows in the capital over the last 18 months, scoring 10 goals in 59 appearances under Mourinho.

He was booed by his own fans during a Coppa Italia game against Genoa in January and handed a transfer request a few days later.

Tension increased in the last two weeks of January, with the player dropped for games against Spezia and Napoli and ultras chasing their ex-idol in Rome, forcing him to call the police and return to his home town La Spezia at the end of the month.

Although many think Mourinho had a role in the striker’s exit, it’s worth highlighting that the Special One always defended the Italian striker, also when blamed by the media and ex-Giallorossi stars such as Francesco Totti and Vincent Candela.

The Portuguese coach often stressed that Zaniolo trained professionally at Trigoria and even said that he’d count on him from February had he not left the club in the winter transfer window.

However, the club decided to freeze him out of the team following his request to leave, convincing Mourinho to drop the player for the remainder of the season had he not left the club.

His €29.5m move to Galatasaray, which includes bonuses, makes Zaniolo the most expensive signing in Turkish football. Zaniolo has a €35m clause in his contract which runs through June 2027.