Southampton scout Kamil Nowak has backed Crystal Palace to sign Red Bull Salzburg’s Bartosz Mazurek.
Nowak has been at Southampton since January 2024 and is still working in the same role. He started his career in Poland and spent over a year at Feyenoord and in Ireland before moving to Burnley in 2017.
He then worked at Wigan Athletic and Norwich City before joining the Saints. The scout has now given his take on Crystal Palace’s interest in his compatriot.
Crystal Palace table offer
The midfielder has enjoyed a good run since joining the Austrian club in July. He has two goals and six assists from 23 matches, and his good start hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Earlier this week, Sport Witness relayed news of the UEFA Conference League winners already tabling a €30m bid for the midfielder.
On Friday, Bartosz Mazurek was asked about Crystal Palace’s reported offer and if there’s anything to it.
He said: “I try not to pay attention to it, but there’s so much noise that it’s really hard to completely shut myself off.”
“There’s a lot of information not only in the Polish media but also in the Austrian media, so I get it in private messages not only from friends but also from my teammates in the dressing room, who ask me what’s going on. I try to keep a distance from it all, approach it with a cool head, and focus on the next matches and challenges.”
Southampton official supports Pole
Meczyki spoke to Southampton scout Kamil Nowak to get his views about Crystal Palace’s interest in the 19-year-old.
The Saints official explained Bartosz Mazurek’s profile and how he has done at Red Bull Salzburg.
“Mazurek has adapted well in Salzburg because he’s intense and versatile. He can play as a number six, eight, or 10. I really like it when he plays higher up the pitch because he works all over the pitch,” he said.
“He drops back, covers other positions, returns to his penalty area, breaks up plays, and anticipates the opponents’ play well in transition. His reactions are immediate; he wants to win the ball.”
“With the ball at his feet, he has a significant impact on the game. In the closing stages, he can deliver a cross, find a teammate with a through ball, and dribble past a player.”
The Southampton representative is confident his compatriot can succeed in the Premier League.
Nowak explained: “If everything goes well, he could be a starter in the Premier League next season. That means: the tactics are set for him, the environment is created in the right way.”
“He could do it within a year. But it also depends on how he develops physically. Mazurek relies heavily on making quick decisions, avoiding contact. He is agile, dynamic, and this comes out at a slightly lower level. In England, he will have less time and fewer options because others will be better covered.”
