Club sets Hojlund-size asking price for striker target as Arsenal plot summer deal

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Arsenal have been linked with Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee for a summer move, but a deal could be difficult to complete.

It was recently reported that the Serie A side would want £50m to do a deal in this window, but a release clause would lower his fee to £34m in the summer.

However, it has now emerged that only his former club Bayern Munich are able to sign him at that price, and any other interested party will have to negotiate a potentially huge money deal to sign him.

Zirkzee has been excellent in the Italian top flight this season, with seven goals and two assists in 19 appearances, and has also been tracked by Manchester United.

However, a deal United did in the summer could now come back to bite, as Bologna now believe they should be receiving a similar fee to the one Atalanta received for Rasmus Hojlund from the Red Devils.

Bologna want Hojlund-level fee for Arsenal target Joshua Zirkzee

A report from the print edition of La Gazzetta Dello Sport has now claimed that Arsenal have “set aside” €50m to fund a move for Zirkzee in the summer, but this may not be enough.

Hojlund joined Man United this summer for around £72m, after scoring nine and assisting four times in 32 Serie A appearances.

It is claimed that Bologna director Giovanni Sartori believes that Zirkzee should be valued at a similar amount, and this could prove problematic if Arsenal are indeed interested in the Dutch forward in the summer.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey recently told Arsenal Insider that whilst the club admire Zirkzee, they do not see him as a main target, but rather as a potential opportunity to land a rising star, perhaps in addition to a big-name striker such as Victor Osimhen.

Is Joshua Zirkzee better than Rasmus Hojlund was last season?

Zirkzee needs just two goals and two assists in 13 games to match Hojlund’s league output from last season.

His agent Kia Joorabchian could play a part in any deal, which may add further worry to Arsenal’s interest, given the failures the club has suffered in the past when signing his clients.

Zirkzee is currently 22, whilst Hojlund is 20, and the former Bayern Munich starlet is perhaps further along in his development. Given how inflated the Hojlund fee was, Bologna have the right to ask for a similar fee given their talent levels and scoring records in the same league.