Nicolò Zaniolo, now with Udinese on loan from Galatasaray, has opened up about his career journey, acknowledging past mistakes and expressing his newfound maturity. The 26-year-old Italian striker aims to rejuvenate his career at the Bluenergy Stadium.
“I`m in a good place now. I recognize I`ve made errors in the past, but there`s no turning back. I`m focused on the present,” Zaniolo told Repubblica. “Here at Udinese, I feel great and more mature than before.”
Reflecting on his earlier years, Zaniolo admitted, “The way I spoke and behaved a few years ago might have come across as superficial. I lacked experience then, but I feel I`ve grown significantly since.”
Zaniolo also addressed the challenges of early fame: “Being in the spotlight at 18, especially in a city like Rome, isn`t easy. I`d challenge anyone not to get carried away. I made the mistake of thinking too highly of myself, which led to many poor decisions. Now I can recognize those errors and would avoid them if I could go back.”
Regarding his departure from Roma in 2023, Zaniolo revealed, “Perhaps it wasn`t apparent from the outside how much I struggled when leaving Roma. It was and remains a club close to my heart. I had wonderful experiences there, and parting ways with the fans, the club, and the people was incredibly difficult. I may not have shown it outwardly, as I tend to internalize my feelings.”
Looking ahead, Zaniolo expressed his ambition to return to the Italian national team under new coach Gennaro Gattuso. “Representing Italy has always been my goal, even before that, it was my childhood dream,” he stated. “Wearing that jersey is wonderful. It unites fans from all clubs across the country.”
As Zaniolo seeks to rebuild his career at Udinese, he has already scored once in four appearances this season. The club has options to make his transfer permanent at the end of the season, either by paying €5 million with a 50% sell-on clause for Galatasaray or €10 million outright.