Scout Report: Joshua Zirkzee
On the back of giving Boss Erik ten Hag a new deal, Manchester United looked to strengthen their attacking options. The Red Devils did so by recruiting Bologna’s Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee.
Zirkzee, formerly of Bayern Munich, will look to add more options up to for United, whilst also giving the club a different option to the now No. 9 wearing Rasmus Hojlund.
Born in Schiedam, the young striker began his career bouncing around youth teams in the Netherlands, before leaving his homeland in 2017 for German giants, Bayern Munich, after a short tussle with Premier League side Everton. On December 11, 2019, Zirkzee would make his senior debut against Tottenham Hotspur in the final group game of the Champions League that year. Whilst he didn’t score on his senior debut, he would on his Bundesliga debut, scoring almost immediately after entering the field against Freiburg, to win 2-1.
The now 23-year-old would continue to be part of Bayern’s first team set up before being loaned out to Parma in 2021, a loan spell in which he would fail to score. His following loan spell, differed drastically, with the Dutch International scoring 18 goals in 47 appearances for Belgian side Anderlecht.
At the end of the season, Zirkzee rightly wanted more guaranteed football, so moved on the Italian team Bologna. Whilst goals were slower, he would help his side to Champions League qualification, in turn winning Serie A Under-23 Player of the Year in 2023-24.
Despite standing at 6ft 4, Zirkzee’s strengths come from his feet. He likes to play of others, run in behind, take on defenders and lay others through with technical through balls. He is in no way an out and out forward, and likes to work with a supporting cast, be that two wingers either side, or another forward up top. Something that most United fans will love to here, is that the Dutch man loves a good tackle, and is more than up for joining in on the defensive side of the ball.
Whilst Zirkzee’s price tag of £36.5 million is less than that of Hojlund’s, the pressure will still come joining a club like Manchester United. At 23, he is still young, but will require some improvements too, but adds a different look up top for the Red Devils.
