If you’re a Liverpool fan, you’ll most likely know everything there is to know about Piotr Zielinski, currently kicking a ball around rather successfully at Napoli in Italy.
The Polish midfielder was one of Jürgen Klopp’s main summer targets, but Udinese, for some reason, decided against the player moving to England, preferring him to transfer to Maurizio Sarri’s side instead.
Following his £12m move, the 22-year-old has already made 29 appearances for Napoli in all competitions, scored three goals and assisted teammates six times, leading to interest from other clubs.
According to Il Mattino on Monday, Liverpool remain very keen on the Poland international, while Chelsea and Real Madrid have queued up behind Klopp.
The Italian newspaper remind their readers Zielinski has a €70m (£60.3m) release clause in his contract, a fee, they say, which does not ‘scare’ the interested parties, such is their wealth.
Sarri, Napoli’s manager, has already started talking about the ‘fear’ of Napoli receiving an offer they cannot refuse for his midfield starlet, and with summer transfer plans most likely underway at Chelsea and most big clubs, his worry might become a reality very soon.
Antonio Conte will certainly know a fair amount about Zielinski, who has been in Italy since 2011, and the player’s eye for a pass and versatility in the middle will be qualities that have not left him insensitive.
You would think, if a bidding war were to emerge between Klopp and Chelsea, the Blues, taking into account their current league position and likely title win, might have the upper hand.
