---
title: "Tottenham: Napoli make ‘contact’ for Giovani Lo Celso, move depends on Zielinski"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-giovani-lo-celso-nicolo-zaniolo-transfer-gossip-news-updates/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Daniel Clubbe"
section: "Premier League News"
published: "2022-07-30T07:10:37Z"
modified: "2022-07-30T07:10:37Z"
---

# Tottenham: Napoli make ‘contact’ for Giovani Lo Celso, move depends on Zielinski

**Serie A club Napoli want to replace West Ham target Piotr Zielinski with [Tottenham Hotspur](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/)‘s Giovani Lo Celso, according to Italian journalist [Alfredo Pedulla](https://www.alfredopedulla.com/esclusiva-napoli-primi-dialoghi-per-lo-celso-ma-dipende-da-zielinski/).**

### The lowdown: Moving parts

[Signed](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/giovani-lo-celso/transfers/spieler/348795) from Real Betis in 2019, Lo Celso was [sent on loan](https://theathletic.com/news/tottenhams-giovani-lo-celso-to-join-villarreal-on-loan/qpJBvqwmBo8t/) to Villarreal for the second half of the 2021/22 campaign having failed to break into Antonio Conte’s plans at Spurs.

The 26-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain man was an [influential member](https://sportsfinding.com/giovani-lo-celso-emery-has-a-plan-and-we-must-follow-it/143146/) of Unai Emery’s side in Spain, helping the relative minnows reach the UEFA Champions League semi-final.

[Tottenham latest developments!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/)

However, upon [returning](https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/giovani-lo-celso-antonio-conte-24386703) to north London, Lo Celso remains on the fringes of matters at Hotspur Way having been [omitted](https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/09/spurs-reguilon-winks-ndombele-lo-celso-left-out-of-preseason-tour-16972746/) from the pre-season touring squad and could now be viewed as a potential successor to West Ham target [Zielinski](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/west-ham-transfer-rumours/west-ham-italian-media-believe-zielinski-fee-is-now-agreed/) in Naples…

### The latest: Contact made

As per journalist [Alfredo Pedulla](https://www.alfredopedulla.com/esclusiva-napoli-primi-dialoghi-per-lo-celso-ma-dipende-da-zielinski/), Napoli are believed to have made ‘contact’ with Spurs regarding the [39-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/giovani-lo-celso/nationalmannschaft/spieler/348795/verein_id/3437) Argentina star.

It’s claimed that Lo Celso is ‘no longer part of Tottenham’s plans’ and Fiorentina have also taken a ‘significant’ look at the possibility of enticing the midfielder to Italy.

The report also states that Napoli would look to strike a loan deal first for the man once described as [‘magnificent’](https://mobile.twitter.com/AlasdairGold/status/1364234181434294272) by former Lilywhites’ boss Jose Mourinho, although much depends on the future of Zielinski.

### The verdict: Cash in

Recouping anything close to the £27.7million expenditure splashed out on Lo Celso remains a possibility whilst the Argentine still has three years remaining on his deal ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/giovani-lo-celso/profil/spieler/348795)), a situation that ENIC and Fabio Paratici should be closely considering.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”397976″\]

After arriving with a [burgeoning reputation](https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/eriksen-giovani-lo-celso-spurs-16385034) as a creative force who could emulate Christian Eriksen, 84 outings in a Tottenham shirt have yielded just [14 direct goal involvements](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/giovani-lo-celso/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/348795) so far, a fry cry from what was expected given the fee paid out.

Last season, the versatile midfielder [scored just twice and provided three assists](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/giovani-lo-celso/leistungsdaten/spieler/348795/plus/0?saison=2021) in 40 appearances across all competitions in Spain and in England, highlighting a distinct lack of top form required at the elite level.

If indeed West Ham can manage to strike a deal for Zielinski, a player previously [linked](https://www.teamtalk.com/tottenham-hotspur/piotr-zielinski-transfer-chance-antonio-conte-discount-95m-exit-clause) to Spurs this summer, then selling Lo Celso would be a wholly acceptable circumstance for the north Londoners, particularly were it to help fund a potential swoop for Roma sensation [Nicolo Zaniolo](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-transfer-rumours/spurs-news-roma-conte-paratici-zaniolo-talks-thfc/).