Young talented Aston Villa venture has been met with excitement and optimism, yet his recent performance during the international break highlights that he still has room for improvement before securing a regular spot in the Villa XI.
The Italian winger arrived as Villa’s fourth signing this summer, joining on an initial season-long loan after Emi Buendia was sidelined with injuries. Villa’s transfer chief Monchi, who previously signed Nicolo Zaniolo for Roma in 2018, swiftly identified him as a target.
Despite facing setbacks due to knee injuries in recent seasons, Zaniolo had a promising stint in Turkey last year, scoring five goals in 10 Super Lig games. At just 24 years old, he was named Serie A Young Player of the Year in 2018-19 and received his first national team call-up the same year, establishing himself as a highly regarded attacking prospect in Europe.
With Philippe Coutinho’s departure, Zaniolo has an opportunity to make an immediate impact at Villa Park and redefine his career. He displayed glimpses of his talent in a recent match against Liverpool before the international break, despite only having 25 minutes as a substitute.
During that time, Zaniolo showcased his potential both offensively and defensively, impressing his manager amidst a challenging overall performance. He completed six out of eight passes, won three out of five duels, successfully dribbled past an opponent, and made a key pass. Additionally, he contributed defensively with two tackles, one interception, and one clearance — outperforming Villa’s other substitutes in these aspects.
Zaniolo is known for his creativity and attacking prowess when in top form. Over the past year, his metrics for goal-creating actions, successful take-ons leading to goals, and fouls drawn leading to goals rank highly among attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top leagues.
While Villa and Emery aimed for players to gain match fitness during the international break, things didn’t go as planned for Zaniolo in Italy’s 1-1 draw against North Macedonia. Coming on at halftime, he conceded a needless free-kick that resulted in North Macedonia’s equalizer, drawing criticism from Italian media and pundits.
Former Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga didn’t hold back, pointing out Zaniolo’s naivety and highlighting the impact it had on the game. However, Zaniolo’s individual contributions included winning eight duels, completing all his dribbles, providing a key pass, and winning two fouls within his 45 minutes on the pitch.
Crucial fixtures lie ahead for Aston Villa, both domestically and in Europe, and Emery may hesitate to thrust Zaniolo into the spotlight following his performance against North Macedonia. The young winger still has progress to make before he can generate the same headlines in the West Midlands as he did in Rome.
