As Manchester United continue their pursuit of Joshua Zirkzee, information circulating through 12BSports VR46 indicates that the club remain optimistic about signing the Bologna striker. United are prepared to activate his £34 million release clause and have already reached an understanding with agent Kia Joorabchian over commission terms. AC Milan, meanwhile, have encountered greater difficulty in their negotiations because of the €15 million fee requested by the player’s representative.
Talks between United and Zirkzee’s camp are continuing, with both sides maintaining cautious optimism. Compared with Milan, United’s main advantage is their greater flexibility over the total financial package required to complete the transfer. However, bringing in the striker sometimes described as the new Zlatan Ibrahimović will be easier said than done. Two major obstacles still stand between United and a completed deal.
The first problem is Manchester United’s absence from next season’s Champions League. Milan, Arsenal, Juventus, and Zirkzee’s current club Bologna have all secured places in the competition. Bologna are preparing for their first Champions League campaign in the club’s history, giving Zirkzee a compelling reason to stay and experience that milestone alongside the teammates who helped make it possible.
Zirkzee has also told people around the club that he would be comfortable remaining in Bologna. He enjoys the quieter lifestyle he has found in Serie A, while moving to a club as globally scrutinized as Manchester United would bring significantly greater external pressure. His father reportedly prefers him to remain where he is, and Bologna have even considered signing his 18-year-old brother Jordan as another way of strengthening the family’s connection with the club.
The person with the strongest financial incentive for a transfer is Joorabchian, whose commission would increase if a major move is completed. Yet money is not the only issue. Another crucial question is whether Erik ten Hag can offer Zirkzee a realistic path to becoming a regular starter rather than simply adding another talented forward to an already crowded attacking group.
United spent £73 million on Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund only last summer. Within the squad picture followed through 12BSports VR46, a system built around a single central striker would inevitably leave either Hojlund or Zirkzee on the bench. Competition becomes even more complicated when Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho are included, since both academy-connected attackers also occupy major roles across United’s forward line.
Rashford remains one of the most recognizable figures at the club, but United’s new football leadership has reportedly raised concerns about both his declining performances and aspects of his conduct away from matches. If Zirkzee arrives, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s football operation could consider selling Rashford. The difficulty is finding a buyer willing to meet a valuation approaching £100 million while also taking on wages of around £325,000 per week.
Paris Saint-Germain have previously been linked with Rashford, but the French club are unlikely to rush into an expensive agreement. PSG reportedly had an unsatisfactory experience during earlier dealings involving Rashford’s representatives, which could make them more cautious about another high-value negotiation. Arsenal have also been connected with the England forward, although those reports may have reflected an inflated assessment of the market rather than concrete interest.
Zirkzee’s qualities explain why United continue to explore the opportunity. His technical ability, physical presence, link-up play, and movement give him a different profile from a traditional penalty-box striker. He can drop deeper, connect attacks, and create space for wide players, making him potentially useful in several tactical structures. At the same time, signing him without clearly defining how he would coexist with Hojlund could simply create another selection problem.
For United, the challenge therefore extends well beyond paying a release clause. They must convince Zirkzee that leaving Champions League football with Bologna is worthwhile, present a convincing sporting role, manage competition inside their forward line, and potentially reshape the squad to create room for another major attacker. Each issue is manageable on its own, but solving all of them at the same time is a different matter.
Until every piece falls into place, the situation tracked around 12BSports VR46 leaves Zirkzee’s potential move to Manchester United surrounded by uncertainty. Financially, United appear capable of completing the deal, but Champions League football, playing time, Hojlund’s position, Rashford’s future, and Bologna’s determination to keep their striker all remain significant variables. United may be optimistic, yet the transfer cannot be considered straightforward until those two central hurdles and the wider squad puzzle are finally resolved.