Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Piotr Zielinski, Georginio Wijnaldum Rumours

Liverpool’s hopes of securing Udinese midfielder Piotr Zielinski are reportedly fading fast, with AC Milan said to have made major progress in pursuit of the player.

That’s according to Jean-Luca Mascaro of GianlucaDiMarzio.com (translated by David Amoyal), who has reported negotiations between Zielinski and Milan “have advanced quickly” and that “there is a lot of optimism that a deal can be finalised soon.”

The story emerged after it was claimed by Udinese sporting director Norea Bonato the Reds were no longer in the hunt for the player, per Liam Corless of the Daily Mirror. Per the same source, Napoli have also been strongly linked with a move for the Poland international.

Zielinski emerged as one of the top young prospects in the Italian top flight last term during a loan spell with Empoli. Here is a look at some of his finest moments from the 2015-16 season:

It’s a transfer saga that has rumbled on for much of the summer and one Reds fans would surely like to see come to an end soon.

Most would like to see Zielinski end up in the red jersey next season. He’s a player who adheres to the blueprint manager Jurgen Klopp typically refers to when he’s acquiring players; the 22-year-old is technically sound, sharp in possession and has shown a willingness to put in the hard yards off the ball as well.

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They’re qualities plenty of big clubs across the continent could utilise, too. Amoyal believes given his experience for a player who is still young, he’d be an ideal acquisition for a Milan side seeking to build for the future:

While the chance to work under a manager as illustrious as Klopp and ply his trade at Anfield would be undoubtedly appealing to the Polish starlet, getting regular football and continuing to develop is the most important factor for him to consider as he plots his next career move. At Liverpool, that’s not something that’d be guaranteed.

As an attacking midfielder, he’d be vying with the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane and Lazar Markovic for a spot in the starting XI. At Napoli or Milan, in a league he’s familiar with, regular minutes would be much easier to find, and his development would be more straightforward as a result.

Tottenham Hotspur to Rival Reds for Georginio Wijnaldum

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According to Neil Moxley of the Sunday People (h/t the Sunday Mirror), Liverpool will face fresh competition from Tottenham Hotspur as well as local rivals Everton as they seek to bring Newcastle United’s Georginio Wijnaldum to the club.

Spurs are said to have made “enquiries” about the Dutch international midfield man this week, with the Reds noted to have a longstanding interest in the player. However, it’s stated that Newcastle value the 25-year-old at a whopping £30 million.

Wijnaldum was part of the Magpies side that was relegated in 2015-16, although he was one of a few bright sparks in what was otherwise a campaign to forget. As these numbers from OptaJoe noted, at St. James’ Park in particular, the former PSV Eindhoven man impressed:

While he’s a clever footballer who knows how to find the back of the net, the Netherlands star isn’t the type of purchase the Reds need to make. He wouldn’t be a major upgrade on any of the aforementioned options, and for the kind of money Newcastle are said to be demanding, other areas of the squad could be addressed instead.

Wijnaldum is the kind of footballer who would find more consistency playing alongside better players, so there’s no surprise in the calibre of clubs being linked with him. Even so, it’s difficult to see Spurs, Everton or Liverpool meeting Newcastle’s current asking price.