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Liverpool has failed to secure several players for whom it has made transfer moves under Jurgen Klopp.
From Mario Gotze to Nabil Fekir, there have been times when Reds fans have been disappointed.
Midfielder Piotr Zielinski is another name on the ‘almost male’ list: those who could easily have moved to Anfield if the circumstances had been slightly different.
Liverpool had an offer of just over £ 11 million rejected by the now 25-year-old Polish international, then owned by Udinese in Serie A, in July 2016.
The midfielder had been labeled the “new Kevin de Bruyne” by a high-level figure from the Polish national team setup, who suggested that the pair had “the same ability.”
But only recently did Zielinski begin to fulfill the potential he always had, making 35 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring twice and assisting five times.
As Josh Williams said on the Analyzing Anfield podcast: “Zielinski was linked for a few months and images emerged. [of him wearing a Liverpool shirt].
“There is nothing wrong with him, but at the same time, Liverpool don’t miss him very much.”
“If he entered now, he would do a good job, because he is now the starter of Napoli.”
Zielinski moved to Napoli for a figure similar to what Liverpool had proposed about a month after the Reds’ rejected approach.
Meanwhile, Gini Wijnaldum had moved to Merseyside from the northeast for around £ 25 million, approximately three weeks after Zielinski’s offer from Liverpool was rejected.
Since then, the Dutchman has become a highly influential player under Klopp, albeit not in the role he was initially supposed to fill, scoring three goals in the Champions League semifinals, including two in the victory over Barcelona.
In many ways, he has become an icon in the Klopp era: a player who managed to raise his eyebrows, but has since justified more than the decision to take him to the club, proving himself to be a bargain.
Zielinski was a player who could have thrived at Anfield, and his recent form suggests that Klopp and the Liverpool recruiting team were successful in targeting him, but few would have complaints about the man who came in his place.
Like many of those Liverpool narrowly missed, time has shown they were right to move on to another goal.
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