Man Utd agree deal to sign Joshua Zirkzee – Fabrizio Romano

Tom Weber

Updated: 11 Jul 2024 17:40 BST
3 min read

Erik ten Hag, Man Utd, Joshua Zirkzee — © IMAGO

Manchester United have reached an agreement to sign Joshua Zirkzee, according to Fabrizio Romano.

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The Red Devils finally have their first major player signing of the Sir Jim Ratcliffe era, with Man Utd striking a deal with Bologna to sign long-term striker target Zirkzee.

Erik ten Hag and company had been interested in the Dutchman for months and finally proceeded to turn their attraction into concrete negotiations after the head coach's future was sorted, with Zirkzee set to pen a contract until 2029.

After deliberating whether to trigger the €40 million release clause in Zirkzee's contract, Man Utd ultimately decided to open formal talks with Bologna over a different payment structure to avoid having to pay the fee in one instalment. The two sides have agreed to a figure of a little over €40m spread across three years, with 50 per cent owed to Bayern Munich.

Man Utd to sign Zirkzee

Prior to striking an agreement with Bologna, Man Utd had swiftly managed to settle on personal terms with the Dutchman despite the fact that Zirkzee reportedly favoured staying in Serie A.

The attacker initially had an agreement in place with AC Milan, but his agent's demand for a hefty commission in the region of €15m led to the Rossoneri pumping the brakes on the deal and eventually pulling out.

Man Utd used the opportunity to swoop for Ten Hag's compatriot, with the Red Devils boss having made no secret of the fact that he is desperate to bolster his options in the striker position.

Zirkzee will provide competition for Rasmus Hojlund, but he may not be the only No.9 reinforcement at Old Trafford this summer. Due to not being the most prolific centre-forward and having a very unique skill set - often being reminiscent of an elegant No.10 - Man Utd could yet dip into the market for a more traditional and deadly striker.