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Andrea Radrizzani confirms Leeds United offered player to top-flight club in January transfer window

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Image for Andrea Radrizzani confirms Leeds United offered player to top-flight club in January transfer window

Leeds United offered one of their players to Serie A side Roma as part of a potential swap deal for Nicolo Zaniolo in the January transfer window.

That’s according to the Elland Road club’s owner, Andrea Radrizzani, who says limits on non-EU players in squads prevented the deal from being agreed.

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What happened with Leeds and Zaniolo in January?

Zaniolo was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in the January window, with Tottenham and Bournemouth both touted as potential destinations for the attacker.

Meanwhile, reports in the final days of the window claimed that Leeds were in regular contact with Roma over a potential deal for the 23-year-old.

Ultimately though, no move to the Premier League materialised, with Zaniolo instead joining Turkish side Galatasaray on a permanent basis, after the English transfer window had closed.

Now however, it seems Leeds had been ready to go to some considerable lengths to get this deal done late in the window, even being ready to part company with one of their current players.

ROME, ITALY – JANUARY 12: Nicolò Zaniolo of AS Roma leaves the field regretted after substitution during the Coppa Italia match between AS Roma and Genoa CFC at Stadio Olimpico on January 12, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Silvia Lore/Getty Images)

What has Radrizanni said about Leeds’ January pursuit of Zaniolo?

Speaking about his side’s attempts to complete a deal for Zaniolo late in the window, the Leeds owner was quoted by TuttoMercatoWeb as telling DAZN: “We proposed a last-minute swap with one of our team but it wasn’t possible because Roma didn’t have any non-EU posts.”

This is an interesting revelation from Radrizzani around Leeds’ approach in the January transfer window.

Zaniolo had scored just one goal, and provided no assists, in 13 Serie A appearances for Roma during the first half of this season.

As a result, you do wonder whether he would have been able to make the required impact for Leeds in their fight to avoid relegation, especially if they were to let go of an established and influential individual to facilitate this deal.

With that in mind, there may yet be an argument that it is not the worst thing for Leeds, that this deal ultimately did not materialise.

Would Zaniolo have been a good signing for Leeds?

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UCLan Sports Journalism graduate. Have been working for Leeds All Over since summer 2020, and can only be found writing on Football League World.