Zieliński to renew deal with Napoli
SSC Napoli fans will be happy to hear that 29-year-old Polish international Piotr Zieliński has resolved his contract situation, per reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The creative midfielder had one year left on his contract and, after links to Lazio and a host of Premier League sides, it seems like he will be committing his future to the reigning Serie A champions. Astonishingly enough, the contract comes with a salary reduction.
Zieliński’s renewal was initially leaked by Lazio President Claudio Lotito after he had indicated that the Rome-based side had lost out on the Pole, despite offering higher wages than that offered by Napoli. It will certainly go down well with Napoli fans to know that this was not so much a matter of money for Zieliński, who has opted to stay in spite of better financial packages elsewhere.
Zieliński has been an important part of Napoli’s overall success on the pitch since joining in 2016, and last season was one of his strongest showings to date.
The Pole amassed 7 goals and 10 assists across Serie A and the Champions League, putting him in the 99th percentile among midfielders in both assists and shot-creating actions per 90 minutes across Europe’s top five leagues.
Zieliński was also one of Europes stronger progressive passers with 4.74 per 90, registering him on the 90th percentile of this metric. He was one of Napoli’s driving forces in attack and will likely be heavily utilized by new head coach Rudi Garcia for the coming season.
Considering Zieliński’s pivotal role in propelling “Gli Azzurri” to Serie A glory, holding onto the player will be a real boon for the Italian side as they’ve already lost Kim Min-Jae, a key contributor throughout the title chase. Hence, maintaining stability despite interest in their players from around Europe will be important for them.