West Ham United push for Piotr Zielinski has Napoli director in search of replacement options
West Ham are pushing to sign Piotr Zielinski and Napoli’s Cristiano Giuntoli is considering replacement options, La Gazetta dello Sport report.
The Hammers are ready to pay €35million [£29.2million] for the Polish international, although the Serie A side want slightly more, but the move looks to be getting closer based on the director of football’s reaction.
The 28-year-old attacking midfielder is apparently not convinced about leaving Champions League football behind to make the move to east London so the Irons are ready to offer him over €5million in wages after tax to convince him.
That is far higher than he earns at the Armando Diego Maradona Stadium despite being one of their highest paid players, according to La Gazetta.
Although manager Luciano Spaletti cannot easily lose Zielinski, and in fact tested a new tactical set up based around him this summer, it is a what Giuntoli is doing that is seen as instructive about the movement of travel on this deal.
The report says: “Giuntoli, however, and this is a clue, is starting to make a series of tactical considerations as he has to look around to replace Zielinski.”
Closing in
This move might not have seemed like a priority, with an additional option in a more defensive midfield role perhaps more important, but it looks like David Moyes was really stung by missing out on Jesse Lingard.
Following that blow he vowed to work even harder to bring transfer targets to the club when speaking after the preseason loss to Rangers.
He certainly appears to be staying true to his word as the movement in the market around the London Stadium has exploded.
Gianluca Scamacca is the headline arrival, and a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt wing-back Filip Kostic appears to be a real possibility.
But the assault on Napoli is the most eye-opening, as the Irons apparently reacted quickly to a rejection from Fabian Ruiz to immediately make a real run at Zielinski.
Until moves are completed it could all mean nothing but there is clear intent on the part of the club right now, which is what the fanbase were crying out for during the January transfer window.
The capture of Scamacca puts the whole window in a new light, and if a couple more of the transfers currently in the offing can be closed it will mean the squad has been definitively improved.
It doesn’t look like either Napoli or their Polish international were particularly minded to do this deal to start with, but based on the latest report West Ham appear to be forcing the issue towards a result that suits them.