Unai Emery speaks to £22m midfielder ahead of 'possible' Aston Villa transfer

Unai Emery alluded to a possible permanent Aston Villa transfer in a recent conversation with on-loan Galatasaray star Nicolo Zaniolo.

The Italy international struggled to pick up the pace of the Premier League in the initial months but he’s vastly improved since the turn of the year. Minutes have still been sparse but there have been some seriously impressive performances, namely against West Ham United and Arsenal.

Zaniolo signed for Villa in August, on a £4.3 million loan deal with an option to buy for £19 million plus add-ons. It awaits to be seen if the purchase clause will be activated but the versatile midfielder is certainly making a case for it.

With speculation rife, Emery wants Zaniolo to focus on finishing the season strongly, whether that result in a Villa move or a venture elsewhere. "I am very happy with him,” the head coach admitted. “Now is his moment because at the beginning of the season it was very difficult for him.

“The adaptation was tough, some individual circumstances were really difficult for him. But the last two months, something has changed for him. He is getting better for us. These last matches he is playing more, getting better performances as well.

"I told him, 'Nicolo, even if you are playing with us next year, even if you are going back to Galatasaray, even if you are back in Italy, I want the best of you and only I want good attitude you are showing now’.”

Zaniolo’s agent hints at Premier League stay

The player’s representative, Claudio Vigorelli, has spoken to the Italian media after his client’s future. A permanent switch to the English top tier hasn’t been ruled out but - similarly to Emery -there’s a focus on the current campaign.

“Today we’re only thinking about finishing the season well. The Premier League has been a wonderful experience, and that doesn’t mean it can’t continue,” Vigorelli told TuttoMercatoWeb. “Let’s focus on the end of the season and the European Championship, which is upon us, then we’ll see.”