Report: Napoli reject Shaktar Donetsk transfer bid for Duvan Zapata

When you have a backup striker finding as much success as Duvan Zapata is, there's going to be teams interested in bringing him in. When that backup striker is also younger and loaded with physical talent like Duvan Zapata is, there's going to be some  pretty hefty suitors lining up for his services.

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, one of those suitors has already made a pass at him. Ukrainian giants Shaktar Donetsk have reportedly lodged a transfer bid for Zapata, one which Napoli rejected out of hand. Di Marzio didn't indicate as to whether or not that would deter Shaktar for long, but he did indicate that several Italian clubs are interested in Zapata as well, beyond the Torino interest we've already heard about.

Zapata makes a fair bit of sense for Shaktar; they've struggled for consistent production from the striker position this season, leaving them five points out of first place in a league they've won five times in a row. With their primary striker, Luiz Adriano, unwilling to extend his contract past this season, Shaktar need to find a solution.

Of course, the ever-brewing unrest in Ukraine over the past 18 months that has, too often, lead to outbursts of bloodshed makes it hard for Shaktar to attract the interest of foreign players. The Donetsk region has mostly avoided the worst of the troubles, but that's no guarantee that relative safety will last.

Di Marzio had an interesting take on the information his source provided him for this report, indicating that Napoli made a "clear stance" on not wanting to sell Zapata. Given that rumors of them wanting to swap Zapata for Matteo Darmian keep popping up, it makes you wonder if that potential deal may have died, if it ever existed in the first place.