Midfielder Piotr Zielinski is starting to drift away from Napoli behind the scenes as a likely summer transfer to Inter Milan looms.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews.
It would be an understatement to say that Napoli’s season has not gone according to plan.
Having won the Serie A title for the first time in over three decades last time around, now it seems like the Partenopei have a real dogfight to finish in the top four of the table on their hands.
Napoli parted ways with now-Italy coach Luciano Spalletti during the summer.
But neither Rudi Garcia nor a returning Walter Mazzarri have really convinced with the team that Spalletti had built into title-winners in their hands.
Napoli’s form has been erratic, to say the least.
The pressure that has already seen Garcia sacked is now mounting on Mazzarri. Both men’s arrivals were surprising, but departures would be less so given the circumstances.
Piotr Zielinski Drifting Away From Napoli As Inter Loom
A player whose situation is emblematic of Napoli’s as a whole is midfielder Zielinski.
The Polish international was a key man for the Partenopei last season.
Zielinski is now in his eighth season as a Napoli player.
And particularly in his two seasons playing under Spalletti, the 29-year-old became one of the most important cogs in what was a very effective system.
But this season, the Pole’s performances have not been at the requisite level.
This is part of Napoli’s broader decline in a shockingly small space of time.
And behind the scenes, there is a sense of sourness.
Contract extension talks between Napoli and Zielinski have not resulted in an agreement. It now looks like he’ll leave at the end of June when his deal runs out.
Inter have already done the legwork on a transfer. It looks as though Zielinski will join the Nerazzurri.
And that has put the player in an awkward position at Napoli.
There is a possibility that Zielinski could even be dropped from the Partenopei squad as the distraction and source of bad mood that is his contract situation and future come to a head.
The Polish midfielder’s nearly-a-decade-long story in Naples now appears to be approaching its end.