It has been a frustrating season for Piotr Zielinski at Inter Milan but he was handed his first Serie A start of 2025-26 on Sunday, and the Leeds United transfer target took full advantage.
Zielinski, 31, has had to bide his time for a Serie A start this season. In only his second season with Inter Milan after joining on a free from Napoli, the 103-time Poland star has only played 116 minutes in Serie A.
But Christian Chivu opted to throw Zielinski into the side from the start on Sunday, as Inter looked to do a job on Verona. It comes after Leeds have shown interest in signing Zielinski ahead of the January window.
Zielinski is seen as a ‘prime candidate’ to leave Inter in January, because he is Inter’s sixth highest-paid player despite not starting games. However, on Sunday, he proved exactly why he is paid so much.
Piotr Zielinski in Champions League action for Inter Milan.
Photo by Mattia Pistoia – Inter/Inter via Getty Images
Piotr Zielinski scores Serie A goal of the season contender
From an Inter corner, Hakan Calhanoglu drilled a stunning pass to the edge of the area. Zielinski could have taken a touch, he might have looked to go wide and get a cross in himself. But he decided to shoot.
Catching the ball sweetly, Zielinski’s effort flew into the top corner. Only a third goal for Inter, in his 49th game for the Nerazzurri. TNT Sports suggests it could well be a Serie A goal of the season contender.
It comes after reports said Inter are open to his exit this summer, for a fee of £8.7m. That is because the midfielder is earning a whopping £140,000 a week. Leeds would obviously prefer a loan for Zielinski.
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Able to play in several different attacking positions, Zielinski is a serious player. Huge experience in the top tier of Italian football, Zielinski has over 100 caps and it is that kind of player Leeds could target.
Zielinski’s Poland manager has urged him to consider a move, ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Italian media were impressed by Zielinski’s goal, but questioned how quickly he dropped off in terms of fitness.
On FCInter1908’s website, Zielinski was handed 6.5/10: “The goal is a fabulous gem. He uses technique, strength, and precision to find the top corner. He declines during the first half, especially in coverage.”
Whether Leeds have any chance of signing Zielinski depends on the Inter star’s game time between now and the January window. If the Poland manager had his way, he would tell Zielinski to join Leeds on loan.