Aston Villa handed £32m transfer 'boost' as fresh update hints at star's future plans

Aston Villa appear to have been handed some good news on the transfer front. Serie A outfit Fiorentina are thought to have been seeking a deal for summer signing Nicolo Zaniolo - but new reports suggest that the 24-year-old is 'really happy' at the club.

This is according to Sport Witness. Additionally, Italian outlet Calciomercato reported that Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano is 'crazy' regarding the prospect of bringing Zaniolo to the Stadio Artemio Franchi as soon as possible.

Zaniolo is current at Villa in the form of a loan deal from Galatasaray. The deal will become permanent if 'certain criteria are met' - should this take place, the Villans will be required to pay a fee of around £32 million.

The 2023 summer window was a hectic one for Villa - Zaniolo wasn't the only high profile signing they made druing this time. Players such as Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby also made the jump to the Midlands before the start of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign - their investments have paid off, as they now sit 3rd in the table.

How crucial has Nicolo Zaniolo been for Aston Villa this season?

While Zaniolo's talents are apparent, given his impressive spells with Roma and Galatasaray, he has yet to hit the ground running at Villa Park. As things stand, the Italian international has played in 23 games so far this season for the Villans, scoring two goals.

He was injured at the start of the season, meaning he has been playing catch-up with the rest of the league as far as match fitness is concerned. All things considered, his start to life at Villa has not been inadequate by any means - but his performances across Europe suggest he is capable of far more.