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Joshua Zirkzee is set to become Manchester United’s first major men’s signing in the Ineos era.
Fabrizio Romano issued his famous “here we go” this afternoon to signal that a full agreement had been reached over the player’s transfer from Bologna.
With personal terms and agent fees already agreed, the 23 year old will fly in for a medical tomorrow and complete the transfer before going on holiday.
Joshua Zirkzee will undergo a Manchester United medical on Friday ahead of his proposed transfer from Bologna.
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But what should United fans expect from the Dutch forward? Here are five things you might not know about Joshua Zirkzee (sources: Bundesliga.com, Footballbiography.com, allnigeriasoccer.com, Transfermarkt.com)
1. Joshua goes by the abbreviated form of his name, “Josh”.
2. He and his younger brother Jordan were obsessed with football growing up and often played indoors, causing their parents to have to redecorate the house on a regular basis.
3. Zirkzee began playing with local club Hekelinger at just five years of age and then Spartaan’20 before being scouted by Den Haag. At 15, he moved to Feyenoord, but it was only a year later that elite clubs came calling.
4. Both United and Arsenal wanted Zirkzee in 2017 and Ronald Koeman also tried to sign him for Everton after an impressive trial, but he opted for Bayern Munich.
5. Zirkzee scored a hat trick on his debut for Bayern Munich’s academy team, Bayern II, in March 2019.
6. He was mentored at Bayern by his compatriot Arjen Robben.
7. The striker made his senior Bayern debut that same year in the 86th minute of a Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur that the Germans won 3-1.
8. Although Zirkzee was born in Schiedam, Holland, and plays for the Netherlands, he could have opted to play for Nigeria, his mother’s place of birth. Zirkzee has dual nationality and Nigeria fought hard to get him to represent them at international level.
9. Known as a “unicorn” player because of his unique style, Zirkzee is not an out-and-out centre forward despite being 6ft 4 inches tall. He can easily operate as a second striker. United are reported to be intending to play Zirkzee alongside Rasmus Hojlund regularly, rather than as an alternative.
10. Zirkzee is not married and is dating Instagram model, Celina Kerr.
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