Tottenham and Liverpool handed boost as star makes request Serie A club cannot match | Football | Sport

Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea have all been handed a boost in their pursuit of Nicolo Zaniolo following reports the Roma star is demanding a bumper pay rise. Having fended off interest in the 23-year-old this summer, the Giallorossi are understood to have made clear their intentions to open negotiations over a new contract with the Italian international, but his demands are expected to prove problematic.

Zaniolo was tipped to complete a switch from Roma to Juventus this summer, but a move never did materialise. Tottenham were then thought to have led interest in the attacker from a host of Premier League sides, including Chelsea and Liverpool, however the highly-rated winger ended up staying put.

Having staved off the threat of losing one of their prized assets, Jose Mourinho’s Roma have set about sparking discussions with his agent over a new contract. The Italian club’s hopes of tying Zaniolo down to a new deal appear to have suffered a setback however, amid claims the winger is holding out for a mega-money pay rise.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport and Il Messaggero, Zaniolo and his entourage are pushing for more than the £3million-per-season contract offer Roma are thought to have prepared. The player’s camp believe the Italian starlet is deserving of higher wages to reflect his status as a key figure within Mourinho’s squad.

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