Only one team can trigger the 22-year-old’s buyout (Picture: Getty Images)
Bologna chief Marco Di Vaio has cooled rumours linking Manchester United with a move for Joshua Zirkzee and revealed a huge advantage Bayern Munich have in any transfer battle.
The 22-year-old has emerged as a January target for United, who are in desperate need of more firepower after netting just 21 times in the Premier League in the first half of the season – a tally only three teams have managed less than.
Zirkzee fits the profile of young, up-and-coming forward the club are keen to sign, having netted seven times and laid on two assists in 16 Serie A starts.
However, any deal is complicated by the fact that Bayern retained a buyback option worth around £19million when they sold the youngster in the summer of 2022, while they can also match any rival bid.
Bologna director Di Vaio has now confirmed that Bayern are the only side that can secure Zirkzee for that relatively modest sum, while he has yet to field any offers from other interested clubs.
Asked about the growing interest in Zirkzee, who is also on AC Milan’s radar, Di Vaio told La Gazzetta dello Sport: ‘How many phone calls have we received? None.
‘And we wouldn’t answer anyway! Joshua is a nine-and-a-half [a cross between a striker and a playmaker], yes, but he doesn’t resemble anyone. He’s a unique player.’
Zirkzee has impressed for Bologna this season (Picture: Getty)
He continued: ‘The release clause? It is valid only for Bayern.
‘For the other clubs the price is open… but our top players will not move in January.’
There is the possibility that Bayern could activate Zirkzee’s release clause in order to sell him on immediately for a higher price themselves, though that cannot happen in January as players are not allowed to be registered for three different clubs in one season.
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Zirkzee only made 12 appearances in the Bundesliga for Bayern before being sold but enjoyed an excellent loan with Anderlecht in which he netted 18 times in all competitions and has now found his feet in Serie A after a mixed first season.
In addition to a new forward, United are also thought to be in the market for a new centre-back but any deal will hinge on one of their existing defenders leaving the club first.
Raphael Varane, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been linked with Bayern and Real Madrid in recent days, while United could move for Jean-Clair Todibo as his replacement – with the Frenchman currently playing for another of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s football clubs, Ligue 1 side Nice.
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