Arsenal are moving closer to the signing of Bologna forward and former Bayern Munich player Joshua Zirkzee.
Zirkzee is enjoying a brilliant season at Bologna with the La Rossa very much on track to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.
And with Serie A set to be granted a fifth place in next season’s expanded format, it would take a pretty hefty collapse for Bologna to miss out now.
However, the flipside of their success is that a number of top clubs are starting to pay close attention to a number of their prized assets.
According to reports in the Italian media one of Serie A’s smaller side could see their squad picked apart this summer – starting with in-demand coach Motta, who is wanted by Juventus.
But it is Zirkzee who is attracting the most attention with Juve, AC Milan and Inter Milan showing interest in the brilliant 22-year-old.
Now according to Wednesday’s Tuttosport, via Team Talk, it is Arsenal who lead that race, having recently met with the striker’s agent to offer him a deal worth €6m a year (£100,000 a week), which has already been accepted by his entourage.
It is suggested that Arsenal have also already negotiated a fee for his services for €60m (£51.6m).
Gunners sporting director Edu Gaspar has looked at a number of attacking options this summer to strengthen the Arsenal attack, with neither Gabriel Jesus or Eddie Nketiah seen as prolific enough.
And while the likes of Victor Osimhen, Ivan Toney, Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak have all been considered, it’s reported that Edu feels that Zirkzee best fits their profile and offers best value for money this summer.
Born to a Dutch father and a Nigerian mother, Zirkzee has scored 11 , provided four assists in 31 appearances in his second season in Serie A.
He was part of the Bayern Munich team that won the treble in the 2019/20 season.
At international level, he has only featured for the Netherlands at junior level.
18 Comments
Greenturf….over to you.
The boy is wanted by Juve, Inter, AC Milan and Arsenal.
Well I’m surprised with the kind of attention he’s getting and these are some of the best football clubs in Europe,fair play to him…
However,my argument was on his stats 11 goals in 31 games which is very much average in my opinion,yet he’s being sought after by top teams,perhaps there’s more he brings to his team aside scoring goals..
I get you Greenturf, only that you never looked deeper into what the boy has been offering a club like Bologna in a league like the Serie A.
He just clocked 22 in March and going buy the number of minutes he has played in all competitions this season, he has effectively contributed 19 goals in 30 games in all competitions….with a few more games to go.
Any CF of that age with such numbers in difficult league like the Italian league can not be taken lightly…and is one Nigeria should pursue with everything we’ve got, irrespective of the fact that we’ve currently got Osimhen and Boniface.
We definitely need him more than we need Okereke, cos in 4 years time when Osimhen would be 30, a then 26 year old Zirkzee sure looks like one with more potentials to fill his shoes.
You have a point,couldn’t agree more.
It takes quality to get the attention of these fussy elite European teams.
Meanwhile,Okereke is fast declining,he hardly make headlines since moving to Torino where Zapata gets the trust of the manager to lead the attack over our own Okereke.
Well,for switch of allegiance time will tell,the current leadership of the NFF does not seem like a team proactive enough,they seem bumbling and stoic,they’re also lacking in professionalism.
I have little hope in Gusau’s administration.
Why are you guys wasting energy on this guy? He does not want to play for Nigeria… I do not know why CSN will even feature his news?
Ademola Lookman never wanted to play for Nigeria.
Jordan Torunarigha never wanted to play for Nigeria.
Kevin Akpoguma never wanted to play for Nigeria.
Please leave us alone let us waste our time. Its “ours”.
If you don’t buy a ticket you never get even a 1% chance of winning the lottery. If Nigeria gets him eventually….fine….if not….fine too. But as long as he is still a Nigeria-eligible player, we will never stop talking about him.
Zirkzee is a good footballer. Nigeria needs him
He can play for Either Netherland or Nigeria. His father is a dutchman while his mom is a Nigerian.Nice one for Arsenal fc.
LIES ..kkkk where did you get this news?? lool Talk about FAKE NEWS! Where is Comrade Trump ..hehehehe
We’ll all thank you later. Lolz General Pawpaw.
Or misleading headline at the very least – If you want to say they are leading the race, you don’t lead with “fee agreed” that is suggesting (heavily) that it is a done deal and he is definitely bound for the goons but there is no such thing at the moment, all interested parties are still only sounding the possibility out, nobody is even actively negotiating so again I ask you how market??
The general truth is that this Zirkzee guy is a field Marshall on the pitch.
I first watched him in Copa Italia. His ball-control and overall football IQ is above average. He has that nonchalant but precise confidence. Good player
It was when he was in the feeders team of Bayern Munich I got to know him. Excellent footballer!!!. He always gives me the young Ibrahimovic vibes
Absolutely, he has that Zlatanesque potential. A top talent in the making. Unfortunately, I don’t think Nigeria will be able to get him.
Thumbs up Brother Man. Zirkzee is a lost cause. You are one of the few people who make me comment on Nigerian football these days.
Dem don come again, no be so una say Aribo go come do wonders, this and that will be this , but after few heroics they have gone back to their shell. The team needs strong and better players
After bringing all of them, what have they done for the eagles, bunch of kids. Abeg we need real men for the super Eagles