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NAPLES, ITALY - AUGUST 25:  Piotr Zielinski of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring the 2-2 goal during the serie A match between SSC Napoli and AC Milan at Stadio San Paolo on August 25, 2018 in Naples, Italy.  (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
NAPLES, ITALY - AUGUST 25: Piotr Zielinski of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring the 2-2 goal during the serie A match between SSC Napoli and AC Milan at Stadio San Paolo on August 25, 2018 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images

Piotr Zielinski in Line for New Napoli Contract Amid Premier League Rumours

James DudkoAug 26, 2018

Piotr Zielinski is in line for a new contract with Napoli after a summer of rumours linking him with a potential transfer to the Premier League.

Italian source Il Corriere dello Sport (h/t Calciomercato) reported Zielinski will remain a Napoli player until 2023 under terms of a proposed new deal. Calciomercato also noted how the Poland international has attracted interest from English top-flight trio Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal during this transfer window.

A release clause worth €100 million will be inserted into the contract, per Rai Sport (h/t Football Italia), with discussions said to be "progressing."

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The fee would likely deter Zielinski's growing list of suitors.

NAPLES, ITALY - AUGUST 25: Piotr Zielinski of SSC Napoli scores the 2-2 goal during the serie A match between SSC Napoli and AC Milan at Stadio San Paolo on August 25, 2018 in Naples, Italy.  (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Chelsea may have been the most keen after hiring former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri to take over from Antonio Conte. Back in June, Sportitalia (h/t TalkSport) named Zielinski as one of three Napoli players Sarri wanted to take to Stamford Bridge.

Ultimately, Sarri only acquired one player from his old club, paying £57 million for midfield pass-master Jorginho.

Last month, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said he held up Sarri's Chelsea appointment over an agreement the 59-year-old wouldn't sign more Napoli players, per Neil McLeman of the Daily Mirror.

It may not have mattered since reports of Napoli preparing fresh terms to keep Zielinski also date as far back as June, per Corriere dello Sport (h/t Calciomercato).

Chelsea's Italian head coach Maurizio Sarri gestures from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on August 26, 2018. (Photo by Lindse

Napoli's stance makes sense judging by how the 24-year-old attacker has been refining his game. Zielinski proved his worth by scoring a brace to help the Partenopei overcome a two-goal deficit and beat AC Milan 3-2 in Serie A on Saturday.

His performance prompted ex-Juventus midfielder Mauro Camoranesi to compare Zielinski with Juve great Pavel Nedved during an interview with Dazn (h/t Calciomercato).

It's lofty praise, but there are similarities between Nedved and Zielinski, in the sense the latter can thrive out wide and also operate centrally in support of a main striker. Like Nedved, Zielinski is technically gifted, has an eye for a pass and possesses a thunderous shot.

Those qualities undid Milan, reasserted his place in the squad and earned Zielinski more plaudits:

Zielinski would have faced stronger competition at Liverpool, where Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah dominate from wide areas. His versatility and skill in the final third would have made him a major asset at Chelsea, where Sarri is coaxing the squad to play a more expressive and free-flowing style.

Yet Napoli wisely appear determined to keep hold of one of their brightest young stars for the long term.

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