Bologna attacker Joshua Zirkzee has now been likened to Olivier Giroud amid reported transfer interest from Arsenal.
The former Bayern Munich youngster has exploded onto the scene this season in Italy, with the Dutch striker scoring an impressive nine goals in all competitions, as well as bagging six assists.
As a result, Arsenal have been reportedly linked with a move for Zirkzee, with the Gunners believed to be preparing a £43m move for the forward in the summer according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
And speaking to CaughtOffside, journalist Ben Jacobs has now likened Zirkzee’s style of play to former Arsenal star Giroud, a comparison that might excite some Arsenal supporters.
“Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee, who reminds me of Olivier Giroud, is another striker to keep an eye on. Manchester United, Arsenal and Spurs have all scouted him.
“This doesn’t necessarily equate to a concrete move, but it shows plenty of Premier League clubs are watching him closely. There is also interest from within Italy.”
Mikel Arteta can turn Joshua Zirkzee into Arsenal’s dream Olivier Giroud successor
Giroud might not go down as Arsenal’s all-time best striker, but the French international was certainly unique and a figure that the Gunners have found hard to replace since his departure in 2018.
The north London side have since favoured shorter forwards with more pace and finishing finesse to their game, yet Zirkzee could be a mix of the current trend as well as the best of Giroud’s qualities.
Standing just a bit taller than the former Arsenal man but with pace for days and a good eye for goal as well as an assist, Zirkzee could develop into Mikel Arteta’s dream striker for the Gunners.
And if the Basque coach can turn a player into a somewhat more efficient version of Giroud, Arsenal might have just landed on their perfect attacker to lead the line, which could turn out to be Zirkzee.
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