Inter Milan’s vice-president, Javier Zanetti, has signaled the club’s intent to compete with Arsenal for the acquisition of Bologna’s forward Joshua Zirkzee in the upcoming transfer period.
Bologna, on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League following a remarkable season, has seen Zirkzee emerge as a key player, contributing 11 goals and four assists.
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Arsenal, with an eye on bolstering their offensive line, has been keeping tabs on the 22-year-old Zirkzee. Mikel Arteta, the team’s manager, is eager to add a new forward to the squad before the next season commences.
Reports suggest that Bologna is poised to set a price tag of €60 million [£51.3m] for Zirkzee, whom they secured for a €8.5m [£7.1m] fee from Bayern Munich back in August 2022.
Inter Milan is also considering the prospect of integrating Zirkzee into their offensive lineup this summer.
When asked about a possible transfer move for Zirkzee, Zanetti told Radio TV Serie A: ‘Zirkzee is a great champion.
‘We are talking about a young, talented, intelligent, physically very strong player.
‘Someone like that would be useful to any great team aiming for important goals.
‘Let’s see… if the opportunity arises we can think about it.
‘With Zirkzee, Lautaro [Martinez] and [Marcus] Thuram we would have a young and strong attack. They would give us peace of mind.’
In response to inquiries, Zanetti addressed the topic of Romelu Lukaku, following the Chelsea forward’s failed attempt to transfer to Juventus last year. This occurred despite Lukaku’s loan spell at Inter, during which he expressed a desire to remain with the club.
‘I don’t know if the right word is to forgive,’ Zaneti said.
‘We were disappointed above all because of the timing and because he wasn’t clear from the beginning. However, I wish him a great career.’
