Liverpool have had a pretty good season so far, even considering the early exit from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Chelsea. The Reds had a tough fixture list before the international break, so the fans won’t mind the team sitting third in the league table, behind Manchester City and Chelsea on goal difference.
The last summer transfer window was perhaps one where the Reds made a statement that they are going to challenge for the title. Even though Jürgen Klopp might not directly say the same in the press, the nature of the signings points out that Liverpool mean business this season.
Recent reports have emerged that Napoli star Piotr Zielinski was in talks with Klopp regarding a potential move to Anfield but a deal didn’t materialise.
Zielinski was at Empoli previously and the club’s president, Fabrizio Corsi revealed, “He [Zielinski] was meant to play for Liverpool.
“When he came to Naples, he had that option, but they did really well to convince him.
Zielinski signed a contract until 2021 but that doesn’t mean the Reds can’t go back for him. The question is, though, should they go back in for him?
Zielinski would thrive in the Liverpool setup
Zielinski is used to playing in a proactive setup as Maurizio Sarri was the manager of Napoli last season. The Pole was often deployed in a central midfield position but he showed the willingness to break forward and make the attacking forays that were hard to stop.
An assured dribbler of the ball, Zielinski could be a strong midfielder in the Premier League as teams tend to play a more open style when compared to the Serie A.
Despite playing in a central midfield role, Zielinski has scored twice and has mustered 2.6 shots per game, which is a clear indication that he likes to bomb forward.
In the past few games, Liverpool have missed that midfielder who can drive forward. While the likes of Milner and Henderson are good at recycling possession, the duo of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is critical when Liverpool play against the big teams owing to their ability to run at the defence.
At 24, Zielinski is yet to hit the prime years of his career and is likely to cost good money. If Liverpool are to compete with Manchester City and Chelsea, who boast more complete midfields compared to the Merseyside outfit, Zielinski is one player they should return for.
Stats via Whoscored
