AC Milan & Manchester United Balk At Joshua Zirkzee Agent Demands | OneFootball

AC Milan still remains in pole position to sign Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee, despite the recent interest from Manchester United. The English side are exploring a deal for the Dutchman, who would cost around £34m, but they are yet to find an agreement on personal terms with the player or a compensation agreement with his agent, Kia Joorabchian.

Milan all but has to agree to the compensation package Joorabchian is asking for, which is said to be in the region of £10m, and they will sign the player. United are heavily interested in Zirkzee, but INEOS have previously said they are aiming to remove the United tax reputation the club have gained in the market over the last decade under the ownership of the Glazers. Joorabchian is asking for a substantial amount of money for his own personal gain to complete the deal, and this may be a sticking point for the Red’s.

Milan lead Zirkzee race:

BOLOGNA, ITALY – APRIL 28: Joshua Zirkzee of Bologna FC looks on during 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’s release clause of £34m remains valid in July, and United are looking to get deals done early. The Bologna striker is said to be Erik ten Hag’s number one target for the position due to his profile. The former Ajax manager has long since described his admiration for a profile in the ilk of Anthony Martial, and there’s a hard argument to be had that the team played their best football with that profile in the team.

Zirkzee’s Bologna contract expires next year, meaning failure to sell him this season would mean the Italian club runs the risk of losing him on a free transfer next season. The 23-year-old made 37 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring 12 goals and contributing seven assists. He is currently at EURO 2024 with the Netherlands but has yet to make an appearance in the tournament, with Wout Weghorst and Memphis Depay being preferred against Poland.

Bologna signed the player in 2022 from Bayern Munich for a fee of around €8.5m. The player had been in Germany since 2017, when he was signed from Feyenoord’s youth side after just a year at the club. During his time at Bayern, he made 17 appearances for the first team, scoring four times.

United’s interest is real, but there is still a lot of work to do before a deal is anywhere close, and AC Milan are still in pole position.

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