Growing reports Mancini will include Nürnberg winger Zoma in next Italy squad

NUREMBERG, GERMANY - AUGUST 09: Mohamed Ali Zoma of Nürnberg celebartes scoring the opening goal during the 2. Bundesliga 2026/27 match between 1. FC Nürnberg and SG Dynamo Dresden at Max-Morlock-Stadion on August 09, 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

The first international break of the 2026-27 season is just around the corner and there are growing reports that Roberto Mancini will include 1. FC Nürnberg winger Mohamed Ali Zoma in his squad for Italy’s Nations League fixtures coming up in September and October. 

Could Mancini select Zoma in the next Italy squad?

Italy are due to take on Belgium, Turkiye, France and Turkiye again in an extra-long international break that will last for two weeks rather than just one. These will be Mancini’s first matches back in charge of the Italy squad after being called in to replace Gennaro Gattuso as CT earlier this summer.

It is expected to be an interesting Italy squad for a number of different reasons: There could be some shake-ups after a massively disappointing calendar year that saw the Azzurri miss out on a spot at the 2026 World Cup. Mancini could also start his new era with a number of fresh faces and youngsters with dual nationalities who need to be ‘locked down’ before being pinched by nations elsewhere. 

One of those players is 22-year-old Nürnberg winger Zoma, who was born and raised in Merate, but also remains eligible to represent Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast through his parents. 

He represented the youth and senior sides of Serie C club AlbinoLeffe for several years before moving over to Germany last summer to join 2. Bundesliga outfit Nürnberg in a €1.5m deal.

He would go on to provide 19 goal involvements (14 goals and five assists) from 29 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga last season and has already come up with five goals from his first five league outings in 2026-27. 

According to reports from Sky Sport DE’s Florian Plettenberg, there was interest in the 22-year-old towards the end of the summer transfer window, but Nürnberg were adamant that they wanted to keep hold of the player, whom they reportedly value at €20m.

Zoma also confirmed to Sky that he has been in discussions with Mancini over a potential Italy call-up: “It’s true, Roberto Mancini and I have spoken. He said that he is keeping an eye on me and that I should keep going like this, and then we’ll see.”

Tuttosport reports that an Italy call-up is ‘increasingly close’ for the 22-year-old, whilst TMW predicts that he will be included in the next Azzurri squad.