AC Milan’s hopes of signing Joshua Zirkzee have been dealt a sizeable blow due to a couple of factors, a report claims, and now they are likely to have to turn to other targets.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) recall how everything seemed to be going Milan’s way in the Zirkzee sweepstakes. First it was confirmed that he has a €40m release clause, which they have no problem paying, then the player expressed a preference to remain in Italy over going to the Premier League.
However, the surprises arrived at the final bend as Bayern Munich re-entered the race and the commissions requested by the player’s agent presented a hurdle. The sudden braking means the road could now proceed in different directions.
The first stop signal came from Vincent Kompany, the newly-appointed Bayern coach. The former Manchester City defender wants to bring Zirkzee back to Munich, and he was Joshua’s coach two years ago at Anderlecht, a season which the attacker ended with 18 goals.
Bayern could be equally decisive: it is the club where Zirkzee grew up and the team with which he made his debut in the Champions League before even in the Bundesliga. He would return to Germany for €25m because the Bavarians have a 40% resale clause which knocks that amount off his clause.
Milan look elsewhere
It is not good news for the Rossoneri leadership, but they have already been probing other options for some time now. The first is Benjamin Sesko who has just turned 21 and scored 18 goals in the last season. Due to his age, talent and potential, he is inevitably the most expensive.
There is competition from the Premier League, this time from Arsenal, who however can not guarantee him a starting spot. Milan instead can offer him the No.9 shirt and a central role in the project.
Sesko is the youngest among the potential candidates, Guirassy the most prolific: he has just concluded a season in which he scored 30 goals in as many games, while the Diavolo met with his agents at their headquarters, demonstrating the concrete interest.
In terms of quality-price ratio it would seem like a bargain because of his €17.5m clause, but Guirassy is 28 years old and 2023-24 was the only season in his career in which he well exceeded double figures.
The outsiders
Santiago Gimenez of Feyenoord remains on Milan’s list after a season with 23 goals in 30 games in the last Eredivisie stadium. From Cruz Azul in Mexico, he moved to Rotterdam in the summer of 2022, and Milan would be his first top club.
However, he is not the only one who wants to bet on him: other top European clubs have inquired. Milan is obviously among these and the possible purchase price does not discourage them too much, because Feyenoord want €50m and the budget is there.
If Gimenez becomes unreachable then Milan have never given up on the Jonathan David idea. The club know Lille’s requests, currently around €40m, and Fonseca knows the player very well having coached him in the last two seasons in France, the best of the attacker’s career.
Get Guirassy or David
Can someone explain,he doesnt have his agent no longer right??then the only difficult thing would be that bayern dont convince him
Do you have a link to something suggesting this? I haven’t managed to find anything credible Joorabchian no longer representing Zirkzee
Transfermarkt is reporting SPORTS INVEST UK LTD as the agency rep’ing him, which is Joorabchian’s
And, from there to the next alternative. There are two kinds of prices; Milan Price and Market Prices. Milan price mostly works inside the CASA Milan.
Jonathan David scored consistently double figures in his last 5 seasons even after Lille sold off their players when they won Ligue 1.
He has 1yr left on his contract and Milan can get him for a fee of 20-30m. David is an excellent CF. He’s good with both feet.
He is good in the air, good at pressing, passing, he know a how to play in tight spaces and he opens up a lot of space for his teammates and he provides a lot of assists.
His finishing is also top quality. Fonseca revived him at Lille last season and he was able to get the best out of him in his system.
He is so underrated and if he was European or South American a big club would have signed him already. This guy XG is outstanding.
I would be shocked if Milan don’t sign Jonathan David. I don’t even understand why some Milan fans want Zirkzee who only had one good season under Motta and he is not even a striker.
Jonathan David, Ricci, Bourngioni and Emerson Royal is all Milan need to challenge for the scudetto and go further in the UCL.
I hope we keep Maignan and Theo but if we have to lose one of them then I hope it’s Maignan and not Theo.
Jesus. Fan boying over David. OK ill ignore that. The second you mentioned Royal as someone that Milan needs you fûcked up. Also Ricci isn’t a dm, he’d be useless at Milan. Pobega 2.0.
What we need is quality, and Milan won’t buy quality. We’ll buy potential
Also, David is cràp. He will flop in Italy.
I think he may not flop-flop but would need time to settle, at least a season, he would struggle as a striker in serie A initially trying to deal with the tactical scenarios which prevail in seria A (this was why Zirkzee is ideal).
I do hope the management are aware of this, Zlatan would know given he has played in liga1 and serie A.
But after the Fonseca appointment, not sure what influence he really has on key decisions.
For me there is a simple solution, simple in my mind more than reality, maybe!
Get Guirassy and Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal know he is not what they need and want him out – a loan deal is a very strong possibility).
These 2 for the attack plus what we would have is a formidable attacking department with lots of options and a perfect balance for the rotation process.
And he is what Milan needs? 9M net salary and built like a 14yo kid. He can’t play in Italy. Might as well play okafor then waste cash on Jesus
I think he would handle seria a easily he would thrive, Dybala now, but those of less physicality have been high success in seria Zola, Signori, RBaggio, Cassano, Miccoli so on and so fourth.
Seria A is made for movement quick footed players like GJesus, because they will always get there before the big physical central defenders and that has been the case in seria A for decades
Dybala was basically raised in serie a.. Jesus boi is in eng for about 7 years. never managed more than 2k minutes in a season. aka he’s a sub
Given Fonseca is the coach we should sign Jonathan David from Lille. We probably need 2 CF with his contract expiring he won’t cost silly money. I would also look at Jaeo Felix. He would do well if we can get him on a cut price deal.
Sesko would be the ideal striker for Milan. He ticks every single box and is the only one worth his price tag. He has been scoring double figures consistently for a few seasons despite his young age, and the Red Bull system develops players in a way that is a perfect fit for Milan ✨
You think a 20yo is worth 60-75 mil?
Yes. Easily. The guy has been scoring consistently despite his young age, performing in a big league, for a big team AND in European competitions. Add to that his characteristics as a natural target man with good technique. A complete striker is worth 60-75 million, as we have seen it with Oshimen, Højlund and others
Anyone who has watched 10 minutes of any feyenoord game will tell you Santiago Gimenez is a special player. He drops back, has great speed great heading, imposing physique and superb decison making. Always a threat when the ball gets to him in the final third. I place him miles above David and would take him over sesko, Zirkzee or Guirassy. Saw him for the first time in the 1st Leg CL game v Lazio and was mesmerised. Have watched a few eredivise feyenoord games because he’s that good esp v PSV and Ajax. I swear we can get the best out of the lot for a reasonable amount if we move before the rest.
Highlights don’t do the boy justice but leaving a link below for your viewing:
https://youtu.be/px_C3DhWSdc?si=CQnmuP3eVLReF6-E