Transfer News: Napoli turn down £25 million offers from Liverpool and Tottenham for Piotr Zielinski

Liverpool and Tottenham have reportedly seen their initial bids of £25 million for Piotr Zielinski turned down by Serie A giants Napoli.

Italian publication Il Mattino are claiming that Napoli have turned down two initial bids from Premier League clubs for midfielder Piotr Zielinski. The likes of Liverpool and Tottenham had both lodged bids of £25 million for the Polish international – offers which have been swiftly rejected by the club.

Piotr Zielinski has been on a gradual rise in the past few seasons, especially after moving to Napoli in the summer of 2016. The youngster slotted straight-away into the starting lineup at the club and ended the season having played all but two of the club’s Serie A fixtures, with a return of 5 goals and 7 assists to show for his efforts.

Zielinski’s rise has been well matched by the increase of suitors for his services. Liverpool have been a perennial suitor for Zielinski, despite being on the losing end to Napoli in the summer pursuit of the 23-year-old. The Polish international had been linked with the Reds in January and now in the summer of 2017 as well.

Liverpool need reinforcements in the middle of the park, especially with Lucas Leiva linked with an exit while Emre Can is also of interest to Juventus. Add to that the increased match congestion due to their presence in the Champions League and the Reds are in need to add serious depth in almost every position.

Tottenham, on the other hand, can also do with an extra holding midfielder in their squad. Mauricio Pochettino has utilised Eric Dier and Harry Winks as the third and fourth option in the position. But, Dier is linked with a move to Manchester United while Winks is still a season shy of staking a claim to be a regular in the setup.

Zielinski’s calm nature would add an extra layer of security to either team, something which is necessary for any top club. The clubs, though, have faced rejection in their initial approach of £25 million. There appears to be a buyout clause of more than double the aforementioned amount embedded in the player’s contract.

Liverpool were said to be very close to sealing terms for the player last summer with delay from the club’s end resulting in Napoli hijacking their pursuit. The Reds, though, seem serious about the player right now and Jurgen Klopp’s insistence to add depth might just give them an advantage over Tottenham.