“Extraordinary” Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski would be the ideal addition to Pep Guardiola’s Premier League-winning Manchester City side, Inter Milan legend Giuseppe Bergomi has told Przeglad Sportowy.
There are certainly shades of Kevin De Bruyne in the way the Polish playmaker struts his stuff on the Stadio San Paolo turf.
At his best, Zielinski is a joy to watch, a purposeful, percussive and powerful presence, the V8 engine revving beneath Napoli’s matte-finish frame, slaloming through the midfield battleground one minute before firing an inch-perfect shot into the top corner the next.
In January, Polish footballing legend Zbigniew Boniek insisted Zielinski could become even “better than De Bruyne” if he starts to add goals to his game.
Considering that Zielinski finished 2020/21 with a career-best tally of ten – the same amount as De Bruyne – it’s fair to say Liverpool’s one-who-got-away has taken that advice on board.
Zielinski would be ideal for Manchester City
And, according to 1990 World Cup winner Bergomi, a man who joined Napoli for a bargain £12 million five years ago would be an ideal addition to a Manchester City side looking to maintain its position at the summit of English football.
“Zielinski is an extraordinary player. He often makes moves that fascinate you, that leave you speechless. It makes you think he really is among the best in the world,” Bergomi says.
“Sometimes he fails. It’s as if he doesn’t always show these qualities. Maybe for this reason he’s not yet among the best in the world – but he is really very strong.
“In this respect, he can improve. Despite this, he is an outstanding footballer who can play for all Serie A teams and more. For me, the Pole would be an ideal player for Manchester City.
Napoli man is a ‘master of technique’
“He is a master of technique and Guardiola appreciates such players very much.”
Manchester City are certainly in the market for a new midfielder, although their top target is understood to be £30 million-rated Sassuolo star Manuel Locatelli, a more deep-lying, tempo-setting player than the creative and energetic Zielinski.
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