Liverpool ‘in the queue’ for ‘illustrious’ signing of 29-year-old who ‘could have joined two years ago’ | OneFootball

Piotr Zielinski is reportedly attracting interest from Liverpool and West Ham.

Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski is on the radar of Premier League pair Liverpool and West Ham United, according to reports.

Zielinski played 37 matches in Serie A last season as the Naples outfit won their first league title since 1990.

After playing a big role in Napoli’s domestic success in 2022/23, the 29-year-old has remained a crucial player under new manager Rudi Garcia.

It has been a difficult start to the season for the Italian club, but Zielinski still has six goal contributions in 14 matches across all competitions.

The Polish international will make it eight years in Naples in 2024 but his contract is set to expire next summer.

This has caught the attention of a few clubs across Europe and Premier League duo Liverpool and West Ham are believed to be keen.

Speaking this week, Italian agent Gianluca Di Carlo revealed that Zielinski could have joined the Reds in 2021.

Di Carlo said: “Given that the Zielinski deal seems easier to do for free, in June, than in January by paying him for the Italian clubs.

“However, we are talking about a player who could have gone to Liverpool two years ago. He has matured perfectly because of the right path he did: from Poland, to Udinese, with the move to Empoli, then Napoli where he arrived after becoming important in Friuli.

“He is a classy player about whom there is not much to say: that he plays at Napoli, Juventus, Inter or Milan, he is strong.”

And according to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), West Ham and Liverpool are ‘in the queue’ to land Zielinski on a free transfer.

The story focuses on Juventus’ search for a new midfielder with Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli both suspended.

Zielinski is one of the possible options in January, though he can negotiate pre-contracts with clubs from the first day of 2024.

Napoli could sell the Polish midfielder for a small fee in order to avoid losing him for nothing at the end of the campaign.

If he does leave next summer, Zielinski will be regarded as an ‘illustrious free transfer’ and Liverpool and West Ham are joined in the ‘queue’ by Italian giants Inter.

It is noted that there have been plenty of reports claiming that West Ham are interested, so David Moyes’ side could be one to keep an eye on.