- Arsenal’s strong interest in signing Joshua Zirkzee, a move that could significantly enhance their attacking options.
- The potential impact of Thiago Motta’s managerial moves on the transfer process, with speculation around his future potentially influencing the bidding war for Zirkzee.
- Arsenal’s strategic advantage in meeting the financial demands associated with acquiring Zirkzee, positioning them favorably in the transfer negotiations.
- The importance of Zirkzee’s addition to Arsenal’s squad, addressing a long-standing gap in their attack and potentially revitalizing their forward line.
Newsypeople- News from Italy claims Arsenal are leading the race against Manchester United and AC Milan for Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee’s signature this summer. The news comes after the team sealed Champions League football next season. Manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu have since scoured the market for a new striker, with Zirkzee shining brightly at Bologna this season.
He has scored 12 times in all competitions and registered seven assists to propel Bologna into the Champions League for the first time since the 1964-65 season. The future of Zirkzee has been speculated about and Manchester United is one of the teams believed to have been interested.
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Bayern Munich, which retains a buy-back clause on Zirkzee, understands not to be keen on exercising that option at the end of the season. Other than Manchester United, AC Milan and Juventus have also been pursuing Zirkzee. AC Milan sees him as a replacement for Olivier Giroud, who is leaving to sign for MLS in June when his contract runs out.
Another Serie A giant, Juventus, has also been linked with Zirkzee, although no concrete contacts have been made with the player. According to GiveMeSport, Arsenal now has pole position in signing Zirkzee, with Bologna reportedly valuing the forward in the region of £60 million.
That price could be way too high for Milan and most other Serie A clubs, while Manchester United may not make a bid if the future of Erik ten Hag remains uncertain and Zirkzee also wants to play in the Champions League next season.
Zirkzee’s reluctance to rejoin Bayern Munich, and decent goal-scoring form in Serie A, has put him in the crosshairs of European clubs. He has 11 goals and six assists in 32 games, leading Arsenal to make a shrewd move in bolstering their ranks, possibly looking at him more as a good squad player rather than an automatic starter. That could mean resources are freed up elsewhere in the team.