AC Milan remain the frontrunners to land Joshua Zirkzee, a report claims, but there is a growing feeling that the deal must be closed deal or it might never get done.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), the negotiations between Milan and Zirkzee’s agents have entered a period of silence that will probably last for the whole week, because Giorgio Furlani and Kia Joorabchian remain fixed in their positions.
Those positions can be summed up more or less like this: Kia says that €15m in commissions are needed to close the deal in addition to the €40m release clause but Milan will not pay that amount either now or in the future. So, what happens now?
Competition
Manchester United contacted Zirkzee’s agents in recent days to obtain information and for Milan it is an alarm that sounds in the distance, for now at controlled decibels.
United are interested but have not made official offers and do not appear ready to pay €40m. After all, they bought a striker from Italy last summer – Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for €70m – and he is someone they must be patient with.
The Zirkzee idea, however, is not new. Back in February it was Arsenal and United who enquired about the Dutchman, and the Premier League duo were the favourites because their purchasing power is unparalleled in Europe.
Not only that, but Joorabchian has always done business mainly between London and Manchester. Milan and Juventus started in the second row, then the former took the lead.
In pole position
The situation for Milan is still under control. Bologna and Bayern are not a problem: with the €40m clause, they are forced to accept that Zirkzee will leave, and the player has made it clear several times that he wants to stay in Italy.
He feels good in Serie A and above all considers another year there to be functional to his growth. He also knows that the Premier League is the most natural destination for strong players, but rushing can be detrimental too.
The chances that Zirkzee will smile while holding a red and black shirt in his hand in July remain good because commissions are never just a matter between agent and club. The player always has a role in the negotiation, economic and above all strategic.
If Joorabchian doesn’t close with Milan it’s also because Zirkzee, so far, has preferred to take his time. This is why Bologna believes – rightly – that they still have a chance to keep him and they are trying to do that.
The plan is clear: Bologna can offer the Champions League and a city that are in love with him, while they would offer Zirkzee a pay rise and the release clause would be higher. However, if Milan are favourites, it is for good reason.
It looks like the Thuram or Taremi sagas. They’re waiting because they don’t want to pay. It’s very unlikely that the agent will lower his commission or it will set a precedent for him in other negotiations. In the end Zirkee will stay at Bologna and Inter will get him next summer for a bargain haha
I think they will try to get strong players and will push for Zirkzee at the end. Like imagine the outcome if the Mercato fails plus a season with no titles or at least finals played.. It’s all or nothing time for them and they know it otherwise the fans will be lost and the money with them
I don’t know, they probably think that the fans are stupid, just look at the Zlatan one man show last week. They can tell nice fairy tales relayed by the media. They can fire Fonseca if things go wrong. They can speak about the stadium and a glorious bright future. They can find another mascot like Zlatan to speak to the fans. There are a lot of means to appease the fans. Maybe Leao will star in the next Marvel haha
This narrative that this sets a “precedent” is bunk. It just doesn’t hold water under scrutiny. A player such as Zirkzee would easily go for over 50m on the open market, and his agent is taking advantage of that. In the absence of the release clause he wouldn’t be asking for such a gargantuan commission. Again, just because Milan elect to pay the commissions in this instance doesn’t mean they will always have to pay such high commissions. The mercato is about math not ethics.
I’m not saying it sets a precedent for Milan. I’m saying that the agent probably won’t compromise on his commission because for him it will harm his reputation and it means that when he’ll ask another club for his commission, they’ll try to lower it as well.
The longer Milan take to close this deal for Zirkzee the more likely other players like Dovbyk won’t be available. We need players available to our new coach when preseason starts not when the new season starts.
Therefore, Milan need to sign ALL or MOST of their targeted players before preseason begins.
Otherwise Fonseca will have some problems integrating the squad to his style of play and formation. That’s a bad way to start the season.
They are waiting for someone else to close the deal and then they will ‘blame’ weather, agent, other teams that agreed to pay the commission etc.
Move on, he is not the only ST in the world. Maybe Beier? He has a release clause of 33M. Boi has potential
Deals usually come together quickly. I doubt Zirkzee’s agent and Milan are still talking. Milan will only pay a lower commission.
Also, Milan is looking for someone who can replace Giroud immediately. Maybe they’re having doubt that Zirkzee can do that. However, he already shows he can score in Serie A. As someone else said, the mercato is about math. I think Milan is making a mistake killing this deal.
It’s not a mistake. Fûck that commission and fúck Kia. Like I said. There are other fish/ST in the sea
at the end we got weghourst as our Nr 9 because we were to stingy
Or morata and icardi, they’re still scoring tho
Milan need to make a decision soon so this doesn’t drag out and we have time to sign all the other targets we need.
In short, no news on the Zirkzee story, and there won’t be any news until after the Euros most likely
Zirkzee is just not that good. Thats why Milan isn’t working hard to close the deal. They need to just come out and say no, and move on.
Okafor can provide the same output as Zirkzee if given the minutes. Use the money elsewhere.