Bayern Munich had an eventful summer transfer window in 2023. They managed to pull off a big deal for Harry Kane and also parted ways with a couple of key senior players in the squad. Despite spending heavily on new players, Bayern had a positive net spent as they sold well during the summer.
Joshua Zirkzee was one of the players from the first team who left Die Roten permanently in the summer. The Dutch forward was part of the squad during the pre-season training, but he eventually joined Bologna to get regular playing time.
After a productive 2022/23 campaign with Anderlecht, Zirkzee was eager to continue his development by playing regularly at the top level. The Dutch striker was linked with several clubs in Europe, but Bologna eventually agreed a fee just below €10 million with Die Roten.
Zirkzee has hit the ground running for the Italian club, scoring seven goals in 17 league games during the first half of the season. His solid performances in Serie A have attracted interest from other clubs. While talking to Gazetta Dello Sport, Bologna’s Marco di Vaio confirmed that Bayern can sign the Dutch striker for a fixed fee.
"“The release clause is only valid for Bayern. For the other clubs the price is open. In January our top players will not move. How many phone calls have we received? None. And we wouldn’t answer anyway. Joshua doesn’t resemble anyone - he's a unique player.""Bologna sporting director Marco di Vaio
The Italian media has reported that the release clause for Bayern to sign Zirkzee is close to € 40 million. Manchester United have been heavily linked with Joshua Zirkzee ahead of the winter transfer window. Bayern will definitely keep a close eye on transfer developments regarding Zirkzee. It will be intriguing to see what Bologna and Bayern will do if a big bid arrives in January.
Zirkzee had a breakthrough campaign with Bayern during the treble-winning campaign in 2019/20. He made a strong impact on games whenever Hansi Flick used him from the bench. The Dutch forward scored crucial goals in the Bundesliga, which helped the team to clinch the league title.
After the arrival of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in 2020, Zirkzee’s game time at Bayern significantly reduced. He eventually went out on loan to Parma early in 2021. His first stint in Serie A turned out to be a disaster, so he returned to Munich at the end of the season.
Zirkzee got back in form during his time at Anderlecht. He had a prolific campaign with the Belgian. Ahead of next summer’s Euros, Zirkzee wanted to play regularly when he returned to Munich after a spell in Belgium. His growth and development at Bologna will definitely earn him a big move or a return to Munich in the future. Die Roten are stacked in attack right now, so a move in January is highly unlikely.