Aston Villa will not be taking up the option to buy Nicolo Zaniolo at the end of the season, it has been claimed in Italy.
The Midlands club signed the attacking midfielder on loan from Galatasaray last summer as part of their recruitment strategy.
Aston Villa also secured an option to buy him for a fee that could reach €38m with add-ons, but the Italian has struggled to make an impact in England.
He has featured just seven times in the starting eleven in the Premier League and has scored just one league goal.
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato.com, Villa will not be triggering the option to buy in the loan agreement they have with Galatasaray.
They have not been impressed with what they have seen of Zaniolo until this stage of the season.
Aston Villa are not prepared to fork out a large fee for a player who has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League.
Zaniolo is set to return to Galatasaray, who bagged a €5m loan fee for him last summer and were hoping to see Aston Villa pay the rest of the clause.
However, they will now have to find a new buyer for a player who has struggled in the Premier League.
