Dutch International Joshua Zirkzee joins Manchester United from Bologna

Manchester United has confirmed the signing of Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee on a contract that runs until June 2029, with an option to extend for an additional year. 

Zirkzee, 23, joins from Bologna FC, where he was the top scorer last season, playing a role in helping the team qualify for the UEFA Champions League. His performance in the 2023/24 season earned him the Serie A Under-23 Player of the Year award.

"Having had discussions with the manager and the leaders of the club, I know how exciting the future is going to be here," Zirkzee said.

"I cannot wait to play my part in achieving success for Manchester United. I am a player who has always dedicated everything to winning; I’m ready for this next challenge, to go to another level in my career and win more trophies."

Zirkzee brings a wealth of experience despite his young age. He began his career in the Netherlands, playing for various youth teams including Feyenoord, before moving to Bayern Munich’s youth setup in 2017.

At Bayern, he quickly made his mark, scoring crucial goals in his early appearances and helping the team to a continental treble in his debut season.

Zirkzee also had loan spells at Parma and Anderlecht. Although his time at Parma was limited by injury, he excelled at Anderlecht, finishing the 2021/22 season as the club's top scorer with 16 goals.

His success continued at Bologna, where he scored 11 goals and provided five assists in the 2023/24 season, attracting interest from top European clubs.

Manchester United’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, expressed his satisfaction with the signing: "Securing a forward to enhance our already strong group of attacking players was a key aim for this summer. We are delighted that we’ve managed to sign a player of Joshua’s calibre this early in the transfer window. Joshua is an outstanding talent who is ready to make an impact for Manchester United."

Ashworth added, "His ability and desire to grow into a world-class player means that he will be a great addition to the squad that we are building for the exciting season ahead and beyond. We look forward to seeing Joshua thrive at Old Trafford over the coming years."

Zirkzee also recently earned his first senior cap for the Netherlands during the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.