After being incredibly patient in their pursuit of a striker last summer, a new goal-getter could be Manchester United's first addition of the summer window this time around.
United are understood to be making progress with their quest to sign Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee. The club is optimistic they could wrap up a deal for him this month.
The all-action forward, who made his Netherlands debut in Saturday night's 2-1 win over Turkey in the quarter-finals of the European Championship, scored 12 goals for Bologna last season, 11 of which were plundered in Serie A. He also contributed seven assists in all competitions.
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An unknown figure to the majority of United supporters, the Reds' pursuit of Zirkzee draws comparisons to that of Rasmus Hojlund 12 months ago, in the sense that neither player has yet fully established himself as elite-level striker. However, United need to beef up their attacking options this summer and do not have unlimited funds available.
Zirkzee's contract has a €40million (£34m) release clause and talks are ongoing. The deal, however, could end up costing around £46m because of agents' fees.
If United reach an agreement with the Italian club and secure Zirkzee's services, they will inherit a player who is knocking on the door to establish himself as a seasoned performer.
Michael Statham, who is a Dutch football expert for Football Oranje, told the Manchester Evening News: "Having seen him come through academies and that sort of side of it at Feyenoord, we thought he would be one of those wonderkids that would come and take the scene by storm. Getting appearances for the Netherlands, even as a teenager, is what we expected.
"That didn't materialise. He had fits and starts in his development at Bayern Munich, scoring a few goals in a few games, for example, and then going off the scene again. Only now at Bologna can you really say he is breaking through properly and standing out for what we thought he would; not just for goals but his all-round play, playing at a high level."
In total, Zirkzee spent five years at Bayern, making 17 first-team appearances, scoring four goals. His season-long loan move to Belgian side Anderlecht in August 2021 was the making of him as he plundered 18 goals and chalked up 13 assists in 47 matches.
Asked how high Zirkzee's ceiling is, Statham continued: "I think at one point it was really high. When he was a youth player, he was someone who was touted to become one of those wonderkids. The Netherlands have been looking for a striker for six, seven or eight years, since the likes of Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar retired.
"They wanted someone who could become the next top goalscorer for the national team. The record is Van Persie at only 50 goals. I say only because someone playing for the Netherlands could easily break that if they played for the national team for their whole career. Memphis Depay is going to do it and he has hardly been a striker for his whole career.
"Zirkzee had that expectation on him. I think it has been a bit of a slow burner for him getting there. He has needed game time and not really had it. At Bayern Munich he wasn't really given it and should have moved out to another club a little bit earlier.
"He did eventually do it and, as you can see now, he is reaping the rewards of it. Firstly at Anderlecht and now with Bologna."
Capable of dropping deep and linking the play, Zirkzee is a very different kind of striker to Hojlund. He wants to be involved in the play, shifting the ball and making things happen.
"When he was breaking through, he was more that kind of player, relied on for scoring goals and pressing people at youth level," Statham continued. "But going on from that, his game has developed.
"He plays deep, can link up play, goes up for headers and can win things. But he is not a target man; he is a link-up sort of striker, who is good at lots of parts of his game."
Asked if he could operate as a No.10 for United as a result of his ability to drop deep and collect the ball in pockets of space, Statham added: "I would say that he has the capacity to play No.10, in that he has that link-up play, he can dribble, pass and carries the ball well to create opportunities. But I don't think you would get the best out of him by playing him as a No.10; he is not that creative, nimble player that you might expect to see at Man United that would open up proceedings.
"He is someone who can play as a second striker up top or on his own. Linking and supporting, yes, that is definitely where you get the best out of him."
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