Nicolo Zaniolo has claimed that he is "at the complete disposal of the Roma family" in an open letter he penned after reports linked him with a deadline day move to Leeds United.
Zaniolo was hotly tipped to move to Elland Road on deadline day as rumours surrounding Jack Harrison's future at the club continued to swirl. It was reported that Leeds were eyeing up the Roma man as a replacement for Harrison should he leave the club - yet both players remained were they were as 11pm on January 31 came and went.
Zaniolo has been somewhat exiled in Italy, with fans unfurling a banner labelling him a traitor and Jose Mourinho even admitting it was a shame that the 23-year-old will remain at the club. However, the versatile attacking midfielder has now claimed that not everything that has been reported recently has been completely accurate.
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"Many things have been said and written about me in recent weeks and many are not true," the 23-year-old said in an open letter sent to Italian outlet ANSA on Wednesday.
"I arrived in Rome as an unknown and Roma and the fans welcomed me as one of their own. They gave me trust, courage and affection in the terrible moments and during my injuries.
"At 23, I have had experiences that many of my colleagues do not in their whole careers, to fall, to get up, to fall again, to get up again, to win. In recent months, I went through a delicate period, in which it was difficult to understand what my professional future would be.
"However, I have always worked hard on the pitch and in training with the utmost professionalism. For the first time in recent days I have been afraid, for myself and for my family, and I have felt abandoned.
"The future is in our hands. I hold out mine and place myself at the complete disposal of the Roma family."
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