The 4th Official
·12 June 2024
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Yahoo sportsThe 4th Official
·12 June 2024
In a recent segment on Youtube, Sky Sports News mentioned that Arsenal are still in the running to sign Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee. It has been stated that the Gunners would face competition in the form of Manchester United in the race to land the Dutch centre-forward this summer.
Zirkzee had a decent campaign at the Italian club after he put in a series of impressive displays as the focal point of their attack. The 23-year-old banged in 12 goals and picked up seven assists in 37 matches for Bologna last season on all fronts.
The Dutch talent has caught the eye at times with his contributions in the final third as he averaged 2.5 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in Serie A. He has even been excellent when distributing possession deep inside the opponent’s half based on his pass completion rate of 78% in league football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Italian club will run out in the summer of 2026 which could make it difficult for the Gunners to recruit him on the cheap in this transfer window.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – APRIL 28: Joshua Zirkzee of Bologna FC looks on after the draw in the Serie A TIM match between Bologna FC and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on April 28, 2024 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Zirkzee is proficient at creating some space for himself to get a few strikes in at goal. He can be a good finisher in front of the opponent’s goal when he is playing with confidence on the field.
The Dutch forward has got the vision to engineer a few promising chances for his teammates up top and is a decent dribbler with the ball as well. Standing at 1.93m, he can use his strong frame to dominate the opposition defenders in the air. However, it remains to be seen whether Zirkzee can make a smooth transition to life in Premier League football.
We can expect the Dutch attacker to add more firepower to Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta’s frontline. He has what it takes to help the Gunners fight for the Premier League title once again next season. Thus, the North London giants would be wise to try everything they can to snap Zirkzee up before the end of this summer transfer window.