According to Italian outlet Calciomercato.it, Manchester United are front-runners to sign Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee next month.
The Dutchman has had a fine season with the Serie A outfit. He has bagged 8 goals and provided 4 assists from 19 appearances. The majority of those have come in the Italian top-flight where Bologna are currently fourth. His form has caught the eye of many European teams and Calciomercato.it claim that United are above all in the race.
However, the source mention that there is no release clause United could benefit from. It was previously said that the striker had a release clause worth £34 million but Bologna sporting director Marco Di Vaio has clarified that only Bayern Munich can benefit from it. They could re-sign their former player for the price but the rest need to negotiate.
Difficult deal
United recently returned to scoring ways with three goals in a brilliant comeback 3-2 win versus Aston Villa in the Premier League. Rasmus Hojlund ended his 14-game wait for a Premier League goal in the United shirt and the Denmark international will be hoping that he has turned the corner and can become a consistent goalscorer in future.
The club are still looking to purchase a new centre-forward in January. Zirkzee would be a good acquisition for the club, considering his dribbling skills, good anchor play and physical presence. However, a deal could be difficult to pull off, given there is no release clause in his current contract. Bologna may demand a significant transfer fee.
The club have performed above the odds and are currently 4th in Serie A and vying for Champions League football. They would not want to lose their prized asset in January. United have a big task on their hands to persuade them to sell. They may look at alternatives such as Serhou Guirassy, who has a £15 million release clause in his deal.
