Manchester United have secured the services of Joshua Zirkzee, a striker from Bologna and the Netherlands, in a transfer agreement costing a total of £36.54 million.
The 23-year-old player has agreed to a five-year deal with Old Trafford, which includes the possibility of extending for an additional 12 months.
Zirkzee’s contract with Bologna had a 40 million euros release clause, but United decided to pay a slightly higher fee over three years to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Zirkzee is the initial player to be signed by the men’s team since Sir Jim Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7% ownership of the club in December.
Last season, he successfully scored 12 goals in 37 matches while playing for Bologna in Serie A, which ultimately led to the team securing an unexpected spot in the Champions League for the current season.
Zirkzee transferred to Bayern Munich from Feyenoord in 2017, then went on to Bologna for approximately £7.15m after loan stints with Parma and Anderlecht.
He was included in Ronald Koeman’s Euro 2024 team, but only played in two games as a substitute for the Netherlands, who were defeated by England in the semi-finals.
Zirkzee, who was named the Serie A Under-23 Player of the Year for the 2023/24 season, expressed his gratitude for joining a prestigious club and stated his readiness to take on the next challenge in his career and aim to win more trophies.
United’s new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, stated that a primary objective for the club this summer is to expand their group of forwards.
He described Zirkzee as a exceptional talent who is prepared to make a difference for Manchester United. The player’s potential to become a top-tier player, along with his ambition to improve, will make him a valuable addition to the team as they prepare for the upcoming season and beyond.
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United manager Erik ten Hag has fewer attacking options now that Anthony Martial has left the team in June after his contract expired.
Rasmus Hojlund, who was signed for £72 million from Atalanta in 2023, netted 16 goals in 43 games in his first season at the club.
The Denmark striker was not in the starting lineup for the end of the season because Ten Hag chose to utilize Bruno Fernandes as a false-nine in their FA Cup final victory over Manchester City in May.
