€40m release clause
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From Disneyland to the Euros, it’s already been a turbulent summer for Joshua Zirkzee. A late call up to the Netherlands squad due to injuries elsewhere meant the Dutchman had to give Mickey Mouse the elbow to represent his country in Germany. It will add to what will already likely be a dramatic summer for the 23 year old. You can add the Bologna man to the long list of strikers linked with a move to the Premier League this summer. A glimpse at the Transfermarkt rumour mill reveals that Zirkzee has been linked with a potential transfer to Manchester United and Arsenal, as well as AC Milan. Zirkzee has a reported release clause of around €40 million in his Bologna contract this summer.
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According to The Athletic, Man United are exploring a deal, and their interest is advanced. Zirkzee’s market value has exploded this season. He has had a decent return of 11 goals and five assists in 34 games Serie A games for Bologna, but his performances and potential have led to his value sky-rocketing. Zirkzee joined Bologna for just €8.5m in the summer of 2022 and as part of the latest Serie A market value update in May saw his market value rise to €50m. Over the 2023/24 season, Zirkzee’s market value increased by +€41m – the ninth biggest upgrade across the whole of Europe.
A product of the Feyenoord and Bayern Munich academies, Zirkzee was highly regarded with the Bavarian giants but struggled for playing time. Bayern have a reported buy-back option worth between €20-25m, with the Bundesliga giants also set to earn 50% of any future transfer. It means Bologna would be set to receive only around €20m for him this summer, with the other €20m heading to the Allianz Arena. The fact Bayern installed both those contract options shows the club believed in the Dutchman’s potential despite selling him to Bologna.
Joshua Zirkzee: Bologna striker “is a complete forward”
“This season, he has finally taken the long-awaited step forward,” Area Manager Italy Jatin Dietl said. “He has started to score regularly.” The market for centre-forwards has been particularly bullish as there is a high demand in physical strikers right now. After years in which clubs have neglected the production of that type of player, there is a relatively short supply of that prototype. That’s one of the reasons why the likes of Højlund demanded a €74m transfer fee last summer despite still being relatively unproven at the highest level.
Player Comparison
Bologna FC 1909
Manchester United
€50.00m
Market Value
€65.00m
Centre-Forward
Position
Centre-Forward
Jun 30, 2026
Contract until
Jun 30, 2028
Full Player Comparison
But what sort of player is Zirkzee? “He is a very fast centre-forward despite his physical size,” Dietl said. “Physically strong, very good in the air, good shooting technique, and good at defending the ball and pressing. Gifted with excellent quality, he has become one of the most technical strikers in Serie A. He often drops back to the Trequartista line and even further behind, moving freely across the entire offensive front. Zirkzee is a complete forward who scores in every way, proving extremely unpredictable to opposing defenders.”
What does that look like in numbers? The eleven Serie A goals scored this season rank the striker joint fifteenth in the division, 13 behind golden boot winner Lautaro Martínez. Those numbers are encouraging, but they also highlight room for improvement. That growth will be necessary if Zirkzee wants to make the step up to a top European top club. If it is to be Man United, there will be high expectations for a good start following a disappointing season for the club – Zirkzee will be expected to hit the ground running.