Nicolò Zaniolo’s agent, Claudio Vigorelli, has revealed that his client harbored hopes of being called up for the Italian national team. Despite Zaniolo being overlooked, Vigorelli expressed gratitude for the transparency and forthrightness of coach Gennaro Gattuso.
Zaniolo’s impactful season at Udinese, where he contributed ten goals (five goals and five assists) across 26 Serie A matches, ultimately wasn’t enough to secure him a place in the Azzurri squad for the upcoming World Cup play-offs.
“We have consistently believed that Udine would be an ideal setting to help him revive his career,” Vigorelli stated. “The environment there offered maximum stability and tranquility, a direct result of the excellent collaboration between director Nanni and President Pozzo on a matter that was not straightforward. It’s telling that we finalized the agreement on the very last day. Nicolò strongly desired this move, and he was certainly right to do so.”
Italy’s coach, Gattuso, acknowledged that Zaniolo deserved a call-up but ultimately chose to rely on the team’s more established and experienced core players.
Vigorelli concluded, “It’s futile to deny that he wished for a call-up; representing the national team is a fundamental objective for all footballers. We have accepted this decision, but it doesn’t preclude a future call-up. We truly value Gattuso’s transparency and comments; we will see what the future holds.”
