Unai Emery must ditch one of his Aston Villa attackers after Fabrizio Romano’s latest update on Tuesday evening.
There have been several standout performers for Aston Villa near the top end of the pitch this season: Leon Bailey, Ollie Watkins, Jacob Ramsey and Moussa Diaby, to name a few.
Bailey, in particular, has been unplayable at times this season. The Jamaican has openly admitted he found life hard under Steven Gerrard but has come of age under Emery’s stewardship.
“The previous coach, I had issues with the coaches,” the 26-year-old explained [The Let’s Be Honest Podcast]. “Things weren’t clicking. When the new coach came in, that’s where everything turned around for me.”
The former Bayer Leverkusen winger is the perfect example of a player turning his fortunes around. It’s something one of Villa’s summer signings could take a long, hard look at.
Unai Emery must ditch 24-year-old Aston Villa attacker
Nicolo Zaniolo has endured a tough campaign after arriving on loan from Galatasaray. Villa paid a reported £4.25million for the 24-year-old Italian, with a £19.2million fee payable if specific criteria are met to make the transfer permanent.
However, after Zaniolo’s latest comments, Emery must ditch the Italy international.
As highlighted by Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the 24-year-old has told the media in Italy of his desire to return to Serie A.
“Bring me back to Serie A! AS Roma remains in my heart, I’d never go to Lazio in my life,” he said.
Is Nicolo Zaniolo committed to Aston Villa?
Zaniolo isn’t committed to the long-term project at Villa Park, and his desire to return to Italy confirms this.
However, considering his performances in the West Midlands, he will do well to feature for one of Serie A’s elite clubs.
Thus far, he has started just seven Premier League matches, scoring two goals. Emery has primarily used the 24-year-old as an impact substitute, with his goal against West Ham proving important.
Nevertheless, his celebration at the travelling support demonstrates a player who isn’t enjoying his football and perhaps disconnected from the fanbase.
After his latest comments, Emery shouldn’t waste his time. The Spaniard has often discussed his need for commitment; unfortunately, Zaniolo is anything but.
