AC Milan have reportedly been working for some time on a deal to try and sign Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee this summer.
The 22-year-old has had an impressive season this year, scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists in 37 appearances across all competitions, playing a key role in helping Bologna secure Champions League qualification.
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Capped at U21s level for the Netherlands and having previously been at Bayern Munich, the talented youngster has attracted significant attention over the course of the current campaign, and Milan are believed to be one of the clubs pursuing his signature this summer.
According to MilanNews, work has been ongoing for months and with his €40m release clause in mind, the Rossoneri are looking to include Alexis Saelemakers and Lorenzo Colombo in their proposal, with the former on loan at Bologna with a €12m option to buy included in the agreement.
That in turn could bring down the transfer fee involved in a swoop for Zirkzee and make it a more affordable deal from a Milan perspective, but it remains to be seen if Bologna are willing to accept.
What is certain though is that Milan must make an important signing to fill the void that Olivier Giroud will leave behind this summer after his exit was confirmed this week, as we need a top-class, long-term solution up front to lead the line and be our consistent goalscorer in the final third.
Based on the report above, it appears as though Milan management believe Zirkzee is the ideal answer, and so we’ll hope to see progress made in potential talks between the two clubs when the season comes to an end next weekend.
Nevertheless, it’s an intriguing strategy from the Milan hierarchy amid ongoing speculation over Stefano Pioli’s future, as although we have to move quickly for our priority transfer targets in order to avoid missing out on them, strengthening the squad with a potential new coach in mind would seem to make more sense.
Should Pioli be replaced, it’s critical that we build a team that suits the ideas, style of play and structure of the new boss, and so it’s hoped that we not only avoid rushing into making decisions this summer, but all concerned are on the same page and share a clear vision and philosophy moving forward that will hopefully lead to consistent success in a new cycle.
