Zlatan Ibrahimovic confirms AC Milan have moved on from Man United target Joshua Zirkzee | OneFootball

AC Milan chief and former Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has confirmed that the Italian club are no longer pursuing Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee.

Zirkzee is United’s number one target for the number nine position and it appears that a deal is only one step away from getting over the line.

Over the weekend, the reliable David Ornstein of The Athletic revealed that United are on the brink of finalising a deal for the Dutchman.

A subsequent report revealed that a transfer is practically done. United have an agreement with the player’s agent over commissions and Zirkzee has already been presented with a contract offer.

For weeks before United stepped up their pursuit of the Bologna talisman, AC Milan were leading the race to sign him but they never closed the operation as they refused to pay what his representative, Kia Joorabchian, was asking for in terms of agent fees.

Milan deemed Joorabchian’s demands as too excessive. If there were any concerns that the Rossoneri would return to the fray for Zirkzee and scupper United’s deal, Ibrahimovic has now put those fears to rest.

Ibrahimovic – who is serving as an advisor to the Milan board – said (via The Standard), “I can guarantee that new signings will arrive.”

“We are talking, discussing. There is nothing done.”

“Zirkzee is in the past. We have one in mind, but I will not say the name. There is someone we are aiming for.”

When asked about whether there are any disappointment about failing to land Zirkzee, Ibrahimovic responded, “No. Never disappointed. This is part of football. Reality and rumours are two different things.”

“There are agents who solve problems and agents who create problems. In this case it was neither. The rumours that were going around were not the same as reality. We have an idea for the attack, we hope it comes in as quickly as possible.”

Zirkzee registered 11 goals and four assists in the 2023/24 season as he helped Bologna clinch Champions League absence for the first time in 50 years.

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