Man Utd race to complete £34m transfer deal for Arsenal striker transfer target

Arsenal look set to face a transfer battle over their long-term target Joshua Zirkzee, according to reports from BBC and The Athletic. The Gunners have been eyeing up a move for the 23-year-old Dutch man for several months now as Mikel Arteta hunts for a new striker ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen have all been linked with a move to north London, but Zirkzee had been considered the prime target. That is, however, until reports last week suggested AC Milan were set to win the race for his signature.

The most recent news now suggests the race is once again wide open, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein suggesting the Red Devils have been in ‘dialogue’ with the Dutch striker’s camp and are ‘considering an approach’. United have been hopeful of improving their attacking options, after finishing in last season in a disappointing eighth place. Following an impressive season in Serie A, helping Bologna secure Champions League football, Zirkzee appears to have been identified as a key transfer prospect.

The in-frm striker, who stands at 6ft 4ins tall, has scored four goals and contributed four further assists in his 34 2023/24 Serie A matches. He then earned a late call-up to the Netherlands squad that is currently competing in the ongoing European Championships in Germany, featuring as an unused substitute in their opening 2-1 win over Poland.

The former Bayern Munich fringe player has a buyout clause of £34 million (€40m) and Bologna are reportedly very hopeful of keeping their star man, whose current contract runs out in June 2026.

While Arsenal’s once plentiful striking targets appear to disappear - with Sesko having already penned a contract extension to remain with RB Leipzig next season - Arteta is now angling to make a long-term midfield partner for Declan Rice the transfer priority.

Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, Everton’s Amadou Onana and Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz are a few of the names linked with the task of taking over from Thomas Partey who is believed to be departing this summer.