Napoli have apparently ‘named their price’ for Liverpool target Piotr Zielinski, according to reports. It is no secret that the Reds are in the hunt for a midfielder and have been linked with a host of players. Zielinski is the latest addition to our ever-growing list of summer targets.
The Polish midfielder has played a crucial role for Napoli this season, appearing 24 times and scoring 4 times in the league to help the club to the top of Serie A standings. The 23-year-old also scored last week in their Europa League exit to RB Leipzig.
According to the reports, Liverpool had a £11.5million bid rejected by Udinese in the summer of 2016, with the Polish midfielder opting to move to Napoli instead.
Zielinski has thrived since his move to Naples and with recent reports linking him again with a move to Anfield, Napoli have slapped a £57.3million price tag on the player as they bid to keep him at the club, according to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (h/t the Daily Mirror)
Earlier this week, Poland legend Zbigniew Boniek praised his compatriot Zielinski and claimed that Piotr is better than Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne.
“He will be the next De Bruyne? I think Zielinski already has more quality than De Bruyne,” Boniek told Corriere dello Sport.
“They are different kind of players, of course, but they have the same ability to leave their mark on the team. I think that he will become a top player. He was 16, I went to see a Poland youth international match and thought: ‘This is an extraordinary player’.”
Boniek’s comments came after Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri hailed the player as the heir to Manchester City star De Bruyne.
“He is an absolute talent, he also has great physical skills and if he grows in the level of personality, he can play in any area of the court, the new De Bruyne,” Sarri was quoted by the Daily Mirror.
Indeed, we need a quality midfielder in the summer, with Emre Can highly likely to leave Anfield at the end of the season. The German panzer has been in fabulous form this season and should he leave in the summer, we would need a top-class replacement.
With Naby Keita set to arrive from RB Leipzig, the signing of Zielinski could certainly boost our chances of winning the Premier League title next season.
