In a recent print edition, Corriere dello Sport mentioned that Arsenal are locked in a three-way battle for Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee. It has been claimed that the Gunners will have to rival Juventus and AC Milan in the race to land the Dutch striker in the summer.
Zirkzee’s Impressive Numbers In Serie A This Season
Zirkzee is enjoying an impressive campaign at the Italian club as he has managed to put in a run of fruitful displays for them in the final third. The Dutch talent has been involved in 32 matches for Bologna this season, netting 11 goals and grabbing six assists across all fronts.
The 22-year-old has been a consistent performer in the final third based on his average of 2.7 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in Serie A. However, he has been a bit untidy when distributing the ball in the opponent’s half after completing 77.3% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Italian football (stats via whoscored).
Zirkzee is under contract at Bologna until the summer of 2026 which could make it tough for the Gunners to recruit him on the cheap in the upcoming transfer window.
Arsenal Are Locked In A Battle For Zirkzee: Is He Worth The Fight?
Zirkzee is proficient at engineering some space for himself to get a few strikes in at goal. The Dutch forward has got the vision to create a few promising chances for others around him in the final third. Zirkzee can use his strong 1.93m frame to dominate the opposition defenders in the air. He is a decent dribbler with the ball as well when he is playing with confidence on the pitch.
We can expect Zirkzee to add more firepower to Arsenal’s frontline and help the Gunners compete across all competitions in the coming years. He has what it takes to challenge for a regular first-team spot at the North London club.
At 22, Zirkzee has got the potential to become a future star in European football. Hence, he would be well worth the fight, so Mikel Arteta would do well to get a deal done for him at the end of this season. However, it remains to be seen whether Zirkzee can maintain his good form in Premier League football.