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Who is Nicolo Zaniolo? Roma and Italy’s most exciting teenager since Francesco Totti

The 19-year-old is the youngest player since Francesco Totti to score three Serie A goals, making a mockery of Inter's decision to sell the midfielder

Last year Inter's chief sport officer Piero Ausilio confessed, "Selling Philippe Coutinho is the biggest regret in more than 20 years at Inter."

That may not be the case for much longer, though.

Last Sunday week, the 19-year-old Nicolo Zaniolo became the youngest player since Francesco Totti to score three goals in Serie A.

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Inter sold him to Roma last summer for just €4.5 million.

Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations were a factor and the Nerazzurri did, at least, have the foresight to insert a clause guaranteeing 15 per cent of any future sale but the fact of the matter is that they used Zaniolo as a makeweight in a deal to sign the declining and ill-disciplined Radja Nainggolan for €24m, solidifying their status as the masters of the transfer market gaffe.