Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Arsenal has a strong relationship with the representatives of Bologna center-forward Joshua Zirkzee. However, Romano cautioned that this may not guarantee a straightforward transfer in the summer, as the agents also have good connections with other prominent clubs.
The Gunners are expected to secure the signing of a top-tier attacker during the summer transfer window, but their preferred choice is still uncertain. Various players, ranging from pure strikers like Ivan Toney from Brentford and Victor Osimhen from Napoli to versatile options like Kylian Mbappe and Zirkzee, have been linked with a move to Emirates Stadium. Even renowned transfer expert Romano is unsure which player Arsenal will ultimately target.
In his Daily Briefing column for CaughtOffside, Romano discussed the rumors surrounding Zirkzee and confirmed that Arsenal has a positive rapport with the player’s agents. He stated:
“There have been recent reports in Italy suggesting that Arsenal is in a favorable position to secure a deal for Joshua Zirkzee due to their strong relationship with the player’s agents.”
However, Romano also revealed that Arsenal is not the only club with a good relationship with the player’s representatives, implying that the club is still undecided about the type of striker they want to pursue. He added:
“The relationship is indeed very good, but Zirkzee’s agents have connections with many clubs worldwide, not just Arsenal. It’s crucial to determine whether Arsenal aims to sign a traditional goal-scorer or a high-quality all-rounder like Zirkzee, who can contribute to the squad in various ways.”
Zirkzee, a natural center-forward who can also play as a second striker, has been in impressive form for Bologna this season. He has appeared in 27 matches across all competitions, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists. The majority of his contributions have come in Serie A, where he has directly contributed to 13 goals in 24 games.
Having graduated from Bayern Munich’s academy, Zirkzee joined Bologna in August 2022. He has already made 48 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals and assisting eight times. The Dutch U21 international is currently valued at €30 million ($32.32 million) and has a contract with Bologna until June 2026, with over two years remaining.
According to the Source sportslens.com