- Joshua Zirkzee scored 11 goals in 34 Serie A games for Bologna last season
- The Dutch forward has a £34 million release clause in his current contract
- Click here to follow Mail Sport’s Euro 2024 WhatsApp Channel for all the latest breaking news and updates from Germany
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 leading scorers in Italy’s Serie A last season.
Zirkzee netted 11 goals in 34 league games to help fire his side to fifth place and a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
But Zirkzee – who also provided four Serie A assists – 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 forward Joshua Zirkzee is wanted by several clubs this summer, including Arsenal
He played a key role as Bologna finished fifth in Serie A to qualify for the Champions League
According to Sky Sports, AC Milan hold a strong interest in Zirkzee but that has not put off Arsenal or 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 bolster an attack that returned just 57 league goals last term, with Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes top scoring with 10 apiece.
Zirkzee has played for four clubs during his senior career to date.
After scoring four times in 12 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern, Zirkzee had a short and goalless loan spell at Parma during the 2020/21 season.
Zirkzee scored 11 goals for Bologna in Serie A last season and produced four assists as well
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 with Parma was blighted by a serious knee injury but he recovered and went on to score 16 league goals in 38 outings for Belgian side Anderlecht in a much more successful loan move during the following campaign.
That fine form for Anderlecht convinced Bologna to pay around £7m to sign him from Bayern.
Bologna look likely to make a tidy 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 keen on RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
Benjamin Sesko is another striker who has attracted 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, is likely to cost significantly more than Zirkzee.
His current valuation is understood to be around £55m but that could soar if he has an impressive Euros for Slovenia – who are in Group C along with England.
Sesko scored 14 goals in 31 Bundesliga games for Leipzig last season.
He netted 16 times in 30 league appearances for Red Bull Salzburg in the previous campaign.
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