West Ham United have reportedly made an improved offer worth €40 million to sign Piotr Zielinski from Serie A giants Napoli.
According to Italian outlet Il Mattino, as relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham United have lodged an improved €40 million bid for Napoli playmaker Piotr Zielinski after having two bids shot down by the Serie A giants for the Polish international, who is looking for a four-year contract.
After hesitating to invest significantly in transfers in previous transfer windows, West Ham have finally shown ambition this summer, bringing in four senior players thus far. Nayef Aguerd, Alphonse Areola, and Flynn Downes have all come through the door to bolster the ranks at the London Stadium.
Italy striker Gianluca Scamacca is the blockbuster arrival of the window from Sassuolo. His acquisition brings an end to the club’s 18-month hunt for a Sebastien Haller replacement. But the Hammers are not done shopping in Serie A and are eyeing a move for Napoli playmaker Piotr Zielinski, with David Moyes aiming to land a high-quality attacking midfielder.
The Poland international has spent the majority of his career in Italy, joining the Udinese youth setup in 2011 before going on loan to Empoli and then being sold to Napoli in 2016. Zielinski has since established himself as an integral part of the Napoli squad, making over 280 competitive outings for the Serie A outfit while directly contributing to 73 goals (40 goals, 33 assists).
Last season, he made 42 appearances in all competitions, netting eight goals and laying on five assists. But he has been inconsistent since returning from a minor injury, prompting rumours of a move away from Napoli. The 28-year-old has caught the attention of West Ham, with the club keen on signing him, although the English club have encountered some serious stumbling blocks since.
With the Pole tied down with the Partenopei until June 2024 with an option to extend for a further year, the Serie A giants are playing hardball over transfer fee. Furthermore, Zielinski has rejected a move to the London Stadium this summer. That is because West Ham failed to match his steep wage demands, with this likely to be his last chance for a big move.
However, there are now wildly conflicting reports, with Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth claiming that West Ham plan to drop their interest in Zielinski altogether. But Italian media continues to maintain that a fresh bid is in the pipeline. Per Il Mattino, West Ham are looking to seal the deal for the Polish playmaker and have made an irresistible offer in the region of €40 million.
That is believed to be enough to satisfy Napoli’s demands. Thus, the final obstacle is persuading Zielinski to change his mind. The 28-year-old is expected to be allowed to leave this summer, with the Serie A outfit lining up Giovani Lo Celso as a potential replacement. The piece also adds that there has been a ‘long telephone meeting’ initiated from Napoli’s side to push Zielinski’s agents to accept the West Ham deal.
