Tottenham looking to Polish international for midfield support?

Rumors of Christian Eriksen’s possible departure from Tottenham are adding plenty of fuel to transfer talk, especially when it comes to tricky midfielders.

The latest round of such rumors seem focused on Napoli man Piotr Zielinski. Just how would the Pole fit in at Tottenham though?

First, it’s helpful to get a bit of backstory for Zielinski and his place at Napoli.

The Pole has served in Italy’s Serie A for his entire professional career, starting with Udinese before moving to Empoli and then, last summer, to Napoli.

At Empoli he earned a reputation for attacking verve despite playing relatively deep on the pitch. His passing range and vision set him apart from the rest of the side, and it was no real surprise that a team like Napoli would snatch him up in the summer.

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Though he had extensive experience for a 22-year-old, Zielinski wasn’t expected to become a regular starter for Napoli in his first season. The midfield trident of Marek Hamsik, Jorginho and Allan were among the best in the league the season before, and seemed set to hold on to the starting positions for the foreseeable future.

Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri had something else in mind however. Despite losing Gonzalo Higuain in the summer, he wanted Napoli to double down on their offensive capabilities. That meant, ultimately, that Zielinski’s more vertical, direct game became favored over the safety of a more defensively-minded Allan.

Sarri’s confidence was well founded. Zielinski quickly adapted to Sarri’s kinetic take on football, one that prioritized a rotated top three attackers with regular service from the midfield. By season’s end, Zielinski scored six goals and set up seven more in all competitions.

Which suggests that, should Tottenham acquire him, Zielinski would bridge the gap between Eriksen and Mousa Dembélé. He is a creative force, and might be comfortable filling the role of architect Eriksen currently occupies. If asked though, he could fill in for Dembélé in a shuttling role, connecting the build up play from the defense and the mixing pot of the attack.

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Given the fact that Liverpool are also reportedly on the hunt for Zielinski, his asking price might not make him ideal for Spurs. Besides, even with as much promising as he has, it would be far better for the club to retain Eriksen if possible.