Manchester United have signed Bologna and Netherlands striker Joshua Zirkzee in a deal price £36.54m.
The 23-year-old has signed a five-year contract at Outdated Trafford, with the choice of an additional 12 months.
Zirkzee’s Bologna contract included a 40m Euros (£33.6m) launch clause, however United opted to agree a barely elevated value so as to pay the price over a three-year interval to assist with Revenue and Sustainability Guidelines.
Zirkzee turns into the primary signing the lads’s facet have made since Sir Jim Ratcliffe turned co-owner by buying a 27.7% stake within the membership final December.
He scored 12 targets in 37 appearances final season as Serie A facet Bologna claimed a shock spot on this season’s Champions League.
Zirkzee joined Bayern Munich from Feyenoord in 2017, earlier than transferring to Bologna for about £7.15m 5 years later after mortgage spells with Parma and Anderlecht.
He was named in Ronald Koeman’s Euro 2024 squad however made simply two substitute appearances for the Netherlands, who misplaced to England within the semi-finals.
Zirkzee, the 2023/24 Serie A Beneath-23 Participant of the 12 months, mentioned it was “a privilege to hitch such an iconic membership” and he’s “prepared for this subsequent problem, to go to a different stage in my profession and win extra trophies.”
Dan Ashworth, United’s new sporting director, mentioned including to the membership’s group of ahead gamers was “a key purpose for this summer season”.
He known as Zirkzee “an impressive expertise who was able to make an affect for Manchester United”, including the frontman’s “means and need to develop right into a world-class participant signifies that he will probably be an important addition to the squad that we’re constructing for the thrilling season forward and past”.
United boss Erik ten Hag has seen his attacking choices depleted by the departure of Anthony Martial in June following the expiry of his contract.
Rasmus Hojlund, a £72m signing from Atalanta in 2023, scored 16 targets in 43 appearances throughout his debut season on the membership.
However the Denmark ahead misplaced his beginning place by the tip of the season as Ten Hag opted to play Bruno Fernandes in a false-nine place throughout their FA Cup ultimate win towards Manchester Metropolis in Might.
