Former Aston Villa player opens up about difficult spell at the club

After a challenging year at Aston Villa, Italian attacking midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo is poised to start afresh with Atalanta. His Premier League stint, though fraught with challenges, has been a period of considerable personal growth.

Zaniolo joined Aston Villa for the 2023/24 season, facilitated by the club's director of football, Monchi, who had previously worked with him at Roma. Despite the high hopes pinned on him, the former wonderkid found it difficult to leave a lasting impression under manager Unai Emery. With only three goals in 39 appearances, Zaniolo often found himself on the bench. Reflecting on his time at Villa Park, Zaniolo shared,

"When I left Rome, I wanted to have another experience abroad because it makes you mature as a person and as a man. I needed and wanted to change; this doesn’t mean that I would erase everything about these two years. So many things were negative, but also positive. Now I’m happy to be back in Italy and I can’t wait to get started."

- Nicolo Zaniolo

Aston Villa chose not to make Zaniolo's loan move permanent, clearing the way for his switch to Atalanta on loan for the upcoming season. This move marks his return to Italy since leaving Roma in 2023. Zaniolo shared his excitement about the new opportunity, highlighting Atalanta's strong track record in developing young players.

Zaniolo's career has been a rollercoaster, from being one of Europe's most promising talents at Roma to enduring a difficult period at Aston Villa. Despite the setbacks, he maintains that his Premier League experience was invaluable for his growth, both personally and professionally. He explained,

"When you change country, you leave home, your family, your comfort zone. Do you want to be mature or not? So I went to England, the culture was different, the way of life too. I feel very mature, the Premier League is a championship different to Serie A, this experience has been added to my baggage."

- Nicolo Zaniolo

Now, Zaniolo carries with him the lessons learned and a renewed determination to succeed. Meanwhile, Aston Villa continues to make significant moves in the transfer market under Unai Emery, aiming to solidify their position in the Premier League's top four. The Villains have secured the signings of Ian Maatsen from Chelsea and Amadou Onana from Everton among many others.

With these new additions, Villa hopes to build on their successful campaign, which saw them qualify for the Champions League for the first time in over four decades.