As Mikel Arteta attempts to bolster Arsenal’s assault in preparation for another title run next season, Arsenal is keeping an eye on Joshua Zirkzee of Bologna.
The north Londoners are still searching for a deadly marksman in front of goal, and there have long been rumors that the Dutch forward may be available for a transfer sooner rather than later. Arsenal isn’t the only team interested in hiring Zirkzee, though; Serie A powerhouse AC Milan and rival Premier League team Manchester United are also impressed with his abilities.
The 22-year-old, a street footballer who made it all the way to Bayern Munich, has previously stated that his skill came from the “Johan Cruyff courts” in his own country.
“I think what the USA has with basketball courts, we have in Holland with the five-a-side pitches,” he stated to the Gazzetta. It toughens you up because you have to learn new skills and figure out how to keep up with guys who are bigger and stronger than you. I discovered that creativity flourishes in the streets, where I received my education.”
Arsenal would benefit greatly from this kind of mentality, but Bayern cannot say the same. Zirkzee enrolled in the German powerhouses’ academy in 2018 and advanced to the main team in 2021.
While on loan at Parma and Anderlecht, Zirkzee unable to make the grade at Bayern and left for Bologna despite some highlights, including two late wins against Freiburg and Wolfsburg. The striker scored just two goals in his debut season in Italy, so things didn’t exactly get off to a fast start.
It also took some getting acclimated to life under manager Thiago Motta, as Zirkzee acknowledged that he “wasn’t ready mentally” to match the demands of the former Inter Milan star. But the striker, who has received a ton of praise from his manager, has changed significantly this season.
“He said that his idols are [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and [Gabriel] Batistuta, who are two excellent players, but, seeing him day to day, he reminds me of the Ronaldinho I played with at Barcelona,” Motta told Sky Sports Italia. “But I can’t hold him against anyone else. Joshua is just himself, and he’s unique.”
Recently, Zirkzee addressed all of the speculation about his club’s future and played it close to the vest despite the intense attention. “The road is long and you have to work hard every day,” he continued. If you were to ask me to choose between improving Bologna and soon playing for a major club, I would say that improving Bologna is the better option. We’ll see you then.”
Although Zirkzee’s own rate of return makes it difficult to consider him a goal machine, his 10 league goals this season are more than Gunners stalwarts Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus can claim to have scored. The former Bayern star can undoubtedly help Arsenal.
There are many who contend that Zirkzee is not the type of player Arsenal should be investing in since he is far from the polished product. But Arteta is a sucker for young players, and he might see Zirkzee as the perfect striker to develop into a devastating forward in the future.