- Joshua Zirkzee scored eleven goals in 34 games in Serie A for Bologna last season
- The Dutch forward has a £34million buyout clause in his current contract
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Arsenal and Manchester United are among the clubs interested in signing Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna this summer.
The 23-year-old – who joined Bologna from Bayern Munich in August 2022 – was joint 15th on the list of top scorers in the Italian Serie A last season.
Zirkzee scored eleven goals in 34 league games to help his side to fifth place and a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
But Zirkzee – who also provided four assists in Serie A – may not still be at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara by the time Bologna embark on their first elite European campaign since 1964.
He is in high demand and has a modest £34 million release clause in his current contract.
Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee is wanted by several clubs this summer, including Arsenal
He played a key role as Bologna finished fifth in Serie A and qualified for the Champions League
According to Air sportsAC Milan have a strong interest in Zirkzee but that has not deterred Arsenal and United, with the Premier League duo said to be keeping a close eye on his situation.
Arsenal’s desire to sign a new striker is no secret.
The Gunners – who scored 91 goals in 38 Premier League games last season – have previously been linked with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and Brentford’s Ivan Toney.
Meanwhile, United are keen to strengthen an attack that produced just 57 league goals last season, with Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes being the top scorers with 10 goals each.
Zirkzee has played for four clubs during his senior career so far.
After scoring four times in 12 Bundesliga games for Bayern, Zirkzee had a short and goalless loan spell at Parma during the 2020/21 season.
Zirkzee scored eleven goals for Bologna in Serie A last season and also produced four assists
Manchester United and AC Milan are also interested in signing the 23-year-old Dutchman
Zirkzee played for Bayern Munich in Germany before joining Bologna in August 2022
His time at Parma was blighted by a serious knee injury, but he recovered to go on to score 16 league goals in 38 games for Belgian side Anderlecht, in a much more successful move during the following campaign.
That fine form for Anderlecht convinced Bologna to pay around £7 million to sign him from Bayern.
Bologna seems likely to make a nice profit if Zirkzee moves again this summer.
Zirkzee is not the only striker being monitored by both United and Arsenal.
The Premier League rivals are also interested in RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
Benjamin Sesko is another striker who has caught the attention of both Arsenal and United
Sesko currently plays for RB Leipzig in Germany, as well as for Slovenia at international level
Sesko, 21, will likely cost significantly more than Zirkzee.
His current valuation is estimated at around £55m, but that could rise if he has an impressive Euro haul for Slovenia, who sit in Group C with England.
Sesko scored fourteen goals in 31 games in the Bundesliga for Leipzig last season.
In the previous season he scored sixteen times in thirty league matches for Red Bull Salzburg.