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The fact that AC Milan are searching for a new striker seems to be no mystery, and now a new but familiar name has cropped up: Joshua Zirkzee.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning that Zirkzee is not having the best of times in Manchester following his move to United. He is the No.1 choice for Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma, who are desperately searching for a striker for January, with Evan Ferguson set to go back to Brighton.
Milan, on the other hand, already have Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic as their first choices. Yet, behind the golden duo – who have barely been seen from the start (just one start together in 14 games due to injuries) – Santiago Gimenez and Christopher Nkunku have disappointed.
Thus, the management exploring the possibility of giving Massimiliano Allegri another striker. And the first name on the list, though certainly not the easiest, is Zirkzee. Therefore, initial contact with super agent Kia Joorabchian has already taken place in recent weeks.
The scenario
Obviously, the arrival of a player of Zirkzee’s stature would presuppose the departure of one of the squad’s strikers. The suspect is Gimenez, currently still struggling with the left ankle injury that has kept him sidelined since late October.
The Mexican continued his training session yesterday at Milanello, and the injury is becoming increasingly mysterious. The feeling is that his path to conquering Milan is now incredibly complicated, with German clubs in particular interested.
Not that things are going much better for Zirkzee at United. The Dutchman – due to Sesko’s injury – has recently been given some playing time, but the Red Devils wouldn’t be so unhappy with a January sale because he hasn’t lived up to his €42.5m price tag.
The English club’s demands are stringent, at least for now: a loan is fine, but only with an obligation to buy (if the Rossoneri qualify for the Champions League) set at around €35 m. Milan would prefer a simple option to buy, but the timing also complicates the puzzle.
Patience and alternatives
United are not willing to let Zirkzee go before the end of January, with Mbeumo and Diallo at the Africa Cup of Nations. Joshua’s departure would be postponed until the end of the window, likely in the final days, regardless of his destination.
So, for the reasons mentioned above, Zirkzee’s name continues to be a hot topic at Milan. While he’s not the centre-forward they might need on a technical and tactical level in terms of guaranteeing 20+ goals, he is talented, physical and already knows Serie A.
If a deal cannot be agreed with United, there are obviously more names on the minds of sporting director Igli Tare and his collaborators, from suggestions like Mauro Icardi to more affordable options like West Ham’s Niclas Fullkrug.
It is clear that Milan want experienced striker, available to move on loan, and without the expectation of always starting. No matter what happens, in Allegri’s mind Leao and Pulisic are set to be the starting pairing. To dream of the Scudetto, however, perhaps more is needed.
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