So many clubs, so few quality strikers. The market for goalscorers in Europe this summer is reminiscent of a bunch of pensioners scrapping over the last few packets of digestive biscuits on the discount counter at Lidl.
Benjamin Sesko took himself out of the equation early by signing a new deal at Red Bull Salzburg, Victor Osimhen remains priced out of contention by Aurelio “I make Daniel Levy look like Father Christmas” De Laurentiis, Sporting are making ridiculous demands for Viktor Gyokeres and the likes of Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Alexander Isak, Ollie Watkins and Lautaro Martinez are going nowhere.
This leaves a pretty small pool of Joshua Zirkzee, Jonathan David and Ivan Toney as just about the only names being actively pursued at the top level.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are joined by Paris Saint Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal and AC Milan on the list of big clubs looking for strikers.
Rumours around Toney are surprisingly cold right now, so all eyes are on Zirkzee and David, with the former seemingly the favourite for most of the chasing pack.
Milan looked favourites to sign Zirkzee, who had agreed terms with them, and whose €40 million release clause they were willing to trigger, but his agent’s €15 million commission is coming close to scuppering the deal.
While the Rossoneri are by no means out of the race, they have already started to look at other options, including, of course, David, and Atletico Madrid youngster Samu Omorodion, according to today’s Gazzetta dello Sport. Their position: Joorabchian must lower his fees, or they are pulling out.
Romeu Lukaku is also mentioned and i also claims that Roma’s Tammy Abraham, too, is on Milan’s list of alternatives.
Gazzetta also notes that United “called Zirkzee’s agents and took information about a possible transfer,” before also throwing Juventus’ name in the mix as a new suitor.
Meanwhile, Corriere dello Sport throw another spanner in the works: Zirkzee’s willingness to stay at Bologna and indeed, the Serie A club’s desire to buy out Bayern Munich’s sell-on rights that form part of his contract. The logic is simple: it would take €16 million to buy out Bayern, then by offering the Dutchman a new deal they would be investing in a future where they can command much more for their player in, say, a year’s time.
Interestingly, CdS also now place United as favourites over their competitors should the 23 year old be sold, saying the Red Devils seem “willing to pay the €40 million clause and without batting an eyelid also the €15 million commission to Kia.”
That may not even need to be the case, with other reports this week claiming Joorabchian is willing to slash his commission to €9 million for United.
Whatever the truth of the matter amidst all these swirling rumours, the good news for United fans is that their club seems to be getting the upper hand in a difficult transfer battle, the reward for which will be a top quality striker at the perfect age for a very affordable price.
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