Arsenal prepare €6m-per-year contract offer for 'next Ronaldinho'

Cameron Smith

15 Apr 2024 08:15 CDT
3 min read

Arsenal are prepared to offer Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee a net salary of €6 million per season, according to reports in Italy.

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Zirkzee, 22, has been a revelation in Serie A so far this season and he has been heavily linked with a move to AC Milan as they prepare for Olivier Giroud’s exit.

The Frenchman is poised to sign for LA Galaxy on a free transfer when his Milan contract expires this summer, with reports stating that he has verbally agreed to join the MLS side.

Milan are therefore planning for Giroud’s imminent departure and have sounded out Zirkzee as their primary target. However, Arsenal are also interested in the Dutchman and are prepared to present a net annual salary offer of €6m, according to Calciomercato.

FootballTransfers understands that Viktor Gyokeres is currently Arsenal’s priority striker target this summer, although Sporting CP are set to demand his €100m release clause is paid in full, while Manchester United have now joined the race to sign him.

Zirkzee is an alternative for Arsenal and they are reportedly ready to submit a salary offer in a bid to beat Milan to his signature.

STATS

Joshua Zirkzee

F (CRL)

Bologna FC 1909

Joshua Zirkzee

F (CRL)

Bologna FC 1909

30

Games
11

Goals
5

Assists

‘Joshua Zirkzee reminds me of Ronaldinho’

Zirkzee has 11 goals and six assists in 33 games this season and Bologna manager Thiago Motta recently admitted that he shares similarities with Brazil football legend Ronaldinho.

In February, Motta said (as per Football Italia): “He [Zirkzee] said that his idols are [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and [Gabriel] Batistuta, who are two excellent players.

"Seeing him day to day, he reminds me of the Ronaldinho I played with at Barcelona, but I cannot compare him to anyone.

“He is Joshua, he is special, he enjoys his football and above all works very hard in training.

“Since the first day of pre-season, he has always been the first to arrive at the camp. He has become a leader and it’s all to his credit. We just need to keep accompanying him, because he is certainly on the right path.”