Liverpool were handed a major boost in the race to sign Udinese star Piotr Zielinski, as Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed the Poland international will likely turn down their transfer offer in favour of a move to the Reds. Elsewhere, links with Argentina international Gabriel Mercado have emerged.
Speaking to Corriere Dello Sport (h/t Football Italia), De Laurentiis revealed his club were on the verge of signing Zielinski after fruitful negotiations with Udinese, but the player turned Napoli down, as he's waiting for the Reds to make their move:
I negotiated for Zielinski with the Pozzo family and we finalised every detail.