Roma coach Jose Mourinho suggested Nicolo Zaniolo is "unfortunately" likely to remain at the club after the winger reportedly failed to agree terms on a move to Bournemouth.
The Italy international had been strongly linked with several teams since the start of January, with Tottenham initially appearing to be his most likely destination.
But after Spurs signed Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal, their need for additional reinforcements out wide reduced, with Bournemouth subsequently emerging as frontrunners.
Mourinho confirmed last Sunday that Zaniolo asked to leave, and media reports this week indicated Roma and Bournemouth reached an agreement on a deal worth an initial £26.3million (€30m).
Zaniolo's seeming reluctance to join the Cherries has Mourinho now expecting the player to stay, though he did not hide his frustration regarding the player's hesitance despite being open about wanting out.
"Unfortunately, it seems that I'm right. Unfortunately, what I said after Spezia [that he expects Zaniolo to still be at Roma on February 1] seems it's coming true," Mourinho told reporters ahead of Sunday's trip to leaders Napoli, which Zaniolo will miss.
Mourinho was then asked why he perceived it to be an unfortunate situation.
"Because the player has been saying he wants to go for a month," the Portuguese coach replied.
"After Spezia, I gave Monday off, while Tuesday was an optional training session. All the players who didn't play in La Spezia trained, many players who did play came anyway. These are the players coaches want.
"Even those who don't play must think that the team might need him. I want these players.
"If a player always tells everyone he doesn't want to wear the Roma shirt, I have to say 'unfortunately'.
"The ideal situation is that the player is happy. I said that I expected him to stay, but today I add 'unfortunately'.
"Today I say again that Zaniolo won't be available, that we focus on the match and that my focus is on the players who will be there. It's not the case with Zaniolo."
Bournemouth revealing themselves as a potential destination for Zaniolo struck many as surprising considering their stature in the game – only getting promoted back to the Premier League last season – and the player's own reputation, given he was once deemed Italy's next great hope.
But Mourinho did not seem particularly shocked as he looked to explain the financial might of England's top tier.
"Everything happens because of TV rights. A clear picture is the English Championship play-off final. You have more money on the table even than the Champions League final.
"That says it all: it's a completely different economic power. The Premier League, an economic view, is stronger than Serie A. Maybe Juventus could compete [with Premier League clubs], but the others can't."
Roma 0-2 Atalanta: De Roon and Zaniolo make it eight Serie A wins in a row
Nicolo Zaniolo scored against his former side as Atalanta defeated Roma 2-0 at Stadio Olimpico on Monday to make it eight Serie A wins in a row and move within one point of leaders Napoli.
Marten de Roon opened the scoring in the 69th minute with a shot from the edge of the box that heavily deflected in off Zeki Celik, before substitute Zaniolo sealed the points in the final minute with a glancing header.
Claudio Ranieri was taking charge of Roma on home soil for the first time since returning for a third spell in charge and saw his side start brightly, with Leandro Paredes testing Marco Carnesecchi and Manu Kone firing just wide.
Atalanta had an Ademola Lookman goal ruled out for offside before half-time as they started to assert a little more authority on the game.
Artem Dovbyk was next to go close for Roma, forcing Carnesecchi into a good save, but Atalanta captain De Roon found the breakthrough at the other end when his deflected shot wrong-footed Mile Svilar.
Zaniolo then got his head to Juan Cuadrado's corner for Atalanta's second, which he did not hold back on celebrating with the travelling fans, as 15th-placed Roma were condemned to a fourth league loss in a row for the first time in 16 years.
EIGHT IN A ROW! #RomaAtalanta pic.twitter.com/8UQPlAsiXf
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) December 2, 2024
Data Debrief: Game goes way of the form book
This is only the second time Atalanta have ever won eight Serie A matches in a row, having previously done so between February and July 2020.
Roma's form could not be any more contrasting, as they have lost four on the spin in the league for the first time since 2008 under Luciano Spalletti.
I Giallorossi have now picked up just one point from their past four Serie A fixtures against Atalanta, losing four and drawing one of those encounters.
Arsenal draw holders Manchester United in FA Cup third round
Arsenal have drawn Manchester United at home in the third round of the FA Cup.
Record 14-time winners Arsenal were paired with holders – and 13-time winners – United in the pick of the ties in Monday's draw.
Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City will host Salford City, who are owned by Man United's famed 'Class of 92'.
Elsewhere, Liverpool and fellow Premier League big boys Chelsea will host fourth-tier sides Accrington Stanley and Morecambe respectively.
The draw for the #EmiratesFACup third round is complete
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) December 2, 2024
One of the pick of the third-round ties, due to be played over the weekend of 11 January, will see Tamworth welcome Tottenham.
The only other non-league side still remaining, Dagenham & Redbridge, will go to Championship club Millwall.
League Two strugglers Bromley have a plum away tie at Newcastle United, meanwhile, and Premier League high-flyers Brighton and Hove Albion travel to Norwich City.
Aston Villa versus West Ham is the only other all-Premier League tie aside from Arsenal against Man United.
Fulham draw 'fair' for injury-hit Tottenham, says Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou believes his Tottenham side were worthy of a point, despite being far from their best in their 1-1 draw with Fulham.
Brennan Johnson's sixth Premier League goal of the season was cancelled out by Tom Cairney's stunning effort, though the latter saw red late on for a foul on Dejan Kulusevski.
The result saw the hosts miss out on the chance to move within a point of the top four, with their inconsistency this season proving to be their Achilles heel.
Tottenham managed an expected goals (xG) total of 0.65 compared to Fulham's 1.38, though Postecoglou said that his injury-hit side deserved a point on home soil.
"A point was probably fair. It was a tight game. Neither team opened up too much. It was hard to dominate for either side," the head coach said.
"It was probably always going to be decided by some half-chances, and we ended up getting the draw.
"For the most part, we handled it OK, we should have taken those to put some pressure on them. We looked like we were getting on top and then they scored.
"They didn't create loads. We are pretty thin on the ground, so I can't ask too much more of them at the moment."
Postecoglou also praised Fraser Forster, who became the oldest player to make a Premier League appearance for Spurs since Brad Friedel in November 2013 on Sunday.
Forster made five saves against Fulham, denying efforts from Alex Iwobi and Raul Jimenez either side of half-time.
"He pulled off a couple of important saves for us, and it is good to have someone in that area who is stepping in," Postecoglou said of his goalkeeper's display.
Marco Silva, however, believed Fulham were the only worthy winners at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Cottagers had several chances to punish Tottenham's sloppy play in possession, but failed to take their opportunities.
Fulham are now unbeaten in their last eight Premier League London derbies (won four, drawn four), the club's longest ever such run, with Silva lauding his side's display.
"I think that everybody should recognise that the team who deserved to win this afternoon was ourselves. We deserved to win. We played our way with our identity on the pitch.
"Myself, the players and the fans should be proud of it. We should have been leading the score with the chances we had. We have to be realistic that Tottenham had chances as well."
Silva also gave his view on Cairney's dismissal, with the Fulham captain given his marching orders 16 minutes after scoring the Cottagers' equaliser.
"Firstly, I know him. Tom Cairney is not the player for that, everybody knows," he said.
"I have to be realistic and honest with you, everybody knows I am the first one asking him to be more aggressive in the right way, to keep some principles as a midfielder in that situation, but he is not the type of player to do that type of thing.
"He stamped on his leg and, of course, looking for the images, it should be a red card, and we have to accept knowing Tom Cairney was really unlucky because he is not that type of player."
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