Leeds target deadline day move for Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo

The Whites could move for the Italian, who has been out of favour under Jose Mourinho at Roma

Leeds United are in talks with Roma about a move for attacking midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo.

The primary difference between the Whites and the Serie A club is currently over whether it should be a temporary or permanent deal.

While the Premier League club want the 23-year-old on loan, Roma would prefer to sell and have been looking to offload Zaniolo all window.

They have previously spoken to both Milan and Tottenham Hotspur about a deal, only for both to collapse.

There remains some doubt over whether the deal will go through as there are many moving parts, not least Jack Harrison’s prospective move from Leeds United to Leicester City.

While Zaniolo knocked back interest from Bournemouth, leaving Jose Mourinho to bemoan the situation surrounding the player.

“Zaniolo has been saying for a month that he wants to leave. Unfortunately, it looks like I was right,” Mourinho said recently. “I say unfortunately, because the player has been saying for a month that he wants to leave. If a player tells everyone he no longer wants to wear the Roma jersey, I have to say unfortunately.

“When a player tells you, the club and his teammates: ‘I don’t want to wear the Roma jersey, I don’t want to play, I don’t want to go back to training…’ I have to say unfortunately. The ideal situation is for the player to be happy. I said that I expected him to stay, but as things stand today, I have to add unfortunately to that sentence.”