Arsenal are ready to compete with Liverpool in the pursuit of Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski, it has been claimed.
According to Corriere del Mezzogiorno(via Mirror), the Gunners are reportedly lining up a summer move for the Polish international as they look to bulk up their creative options next season.
Even though the Napoli star is likely to renew his contract at the club beyond 2021, one shouldn’t write off his chances of leaving Italy, with Arsenal now in the mix.
Piotr Zielinski: An ideal option for Emery
Arsenal have lacked the creative substance in their attack for the most part of this season, with the offensive duo of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette scoring the goals which has kept them in a competitive position in the table.
Mesut Ozil, in particular, has failed to make himself a regular fixture under Unai Emery, who is more than willing to offload the former German international in the summer.
In addition, Henrikh Mkhitaryan has struggled with both injuries and form while Aaron Ramsey is set to join Juventus in the summer, leaving Emery quite shallow in the creative department.
And that’s where Zielinski could come into the fray, having enjoyed immense success under Carlo Ancelotti this season.
Even though he has been involved in only four goals for Napoli so far, it’s probably fair to point out the fact that the Polish international has been mostly utilized in a deeper role due to the presence of Marek Hamsik, who is the club’s first-choice playmaker.
But, with Arsenal likely to offload Ozil in the summer, Zielinski could play a more advanced role, which will allow him not only to create chances using his excellent vision but also maintain his side’s dominance in midfield with some top-notch passing.
His ability to play in a slightly deeper role in midfield with Aaron Ramsey set to join Juventus in the summer can also come in handy.
The 24-year-old is also a technically astute midfielder, meaning he can easily link-up with the likes of Lucas Torreira and Denis Suarez, should Arsenal opt to sign the Barcelona man on a permanent contract in the summer.
Furthermore, Zielinski is fairly experienced at the highest level of football, having featured in over 120 matches for Napoli in all competitions whilst winning 41 caps for the Polish national team. This could certainly help him integrate into the faster-paced nature of the Premier League.
However, what makes him Zielinski such an appealing target the Gunners is his agility and work-rate that could potentially make him a better fit at Arsenal compared to Ozil. And at the age of just 24, he has time on his side and could be an excellent long-term investment for the North London giants.