Nicolo Zaniolo was officially presented today in the press room at Bluenergy Stadium on Friday as Udinese’s latest signing. The press conference opened with remarks from general manager Franco Collavino, technical director of the group Gian Luca Nani and head of the technical area Gokhan Inler, before Zaniolo himself answered questions from journalists.
Collavino:
“We are delighted to present Nicolo Zaniolo as our latest signing. He’s the icing on the cake of our transfer campaign: one of the greatest Italian talents of his generation, with experience at major clubs both in Italy and abroad. He gives us international pedigree and quality, and our environment can allow him to return to his best standards.
“At 7pm on deadline day, we still had a number of points to finalise with Galatasaray, but pragmatism prevailed and by 7:50pm the deal was filed. The market is complex and requires integrated effort across departments. It was a great team achievement to complete this operation and all the others.
“It was an intense summer, we invested heavily, strengthened where needed and handed the coach a team consistent with our objectives. Some players have departed for various reasons, so we thank them all for the commitment shown while wearing our shirt. Now, however, we’re focused on the present and future, starting with Zaniolo.”
Nani:
“This was a complex deal. At 4pm the Galatasaray president had even told Zaniolo he would be staying. Thanks to everyone’s work, and above all Nicolo’s determination, we got it over the line, alongside two other deals on deadline day.
“We’re often criticised for late transfers, but we don’t control the timing. This market hit all the targets identified months ago. It’s just that Zaniolo emerged later, following [Florian] Thauvin’s departure. At first, the opportunity to bring him here looked like a mountain to climb and without his commitment it wouldn’t have happened. I’ve never seen a player so determined to come to Udinese, a team he believes is perfect for his ambitions. Other clubs wanted him, but he turned them all down at the risk of staying in Turkey.
“What convinced me most was his maturity, his recognition of past mistakes and the stability he has regained. He knows what awaits him here and what I promised if he slips up. I have great faith in his technical quality and his new mindset.”
Inler:
“Nani has already said almost everything. I spoke with Zaniolo before he came here and can confirm he wanted this move strongly because he knows how seriously we work. I explained the culture and history of Udinese to him, so now we must work together, step by step, to reach our goals. He’s focused, ready and eager to restart with us. I welcome him warmly and wish him good luck.”
Zaniolo:
“I want to thank the staff, the club, the director, the coach and everyone for their trust. It was a long negotiation process and I gave everything to make it happen, even pushing hard with Galatasaray. I want to show my quality on the pitch again and achieve big goals with this team. This is the perfect place to do it. I’m very happy, it’s a fantastic environment, with so many people working for us. Everything is here to succeed. I can’t wait to get started, hopefully already this Sunday against Pisa.
“With Galatasaray we started pre-season early. I’m not yet at 100% because of a complicated period, but I can help whether from the start or coming off the bench, depending on the coach’s decision.
“I didn’t expect to find all this in Udine, so it’s been a wonderful surprise. Here everything is geared to helping you. At this stage of my career, that’s exactly what I need.
“What struck me is that here the focus is only on the pitch. These first weeks I’ve been training twice a day. This is an important year for me and for Udinese. We’re a strong side and we can surprise people by achieving great results.
“In my career, I’ve never thought only about myself. I don’t worry about ‘last chances’. I think about helping the team, always putting the club first. I’m not obsessed with proving anything. I just want to help the team and give my best on the pitch.
“I can’t say I’ve only been unlucky in these years as I’ve made mistakes too. But with the right people, who I’ve learned to listen to, I’ve grown. What I’ve lacked is continuity. You need to play, make mistakes and play again to build confidence. I must learn not to lose confidence when it’s shaken and not to give up when things go badly.
“The number 10 is the shirt every kid dreams of. Here it has real weight, especially because of who wore it before, above all [Antonio] Di Natale. I asked if I could take it, and when they said yes, I was thrilled.
“On the pitch I can play on the right, as a playmaker, link play and attack space, but I’ll adapt to the team’s needs.
“The national team is a dream, especially with the World Cup next year. Wearing the Azzurri jersey is a goal, not an obsession. The right performances will come if I play for the team, not myself. If you give everything for the team, your individual quality also shines.
“I spoke to the coach before coming and we clicked right away. He’s direct, honest, sincere. He told me there are rules to follow and I agree. I’m glad to have him as coach and hope to start well immediately with three points.
“I’ve settled in quickly into a dressing room full of good, professional guys. There are leaders on and off the pitch who drive the team even without words. I’ll give everything on the pitch. Commitment and dedication will never be lacking from me.”