Newcastle United have entered the race for Bayern Munich attacker Joshua Zirkzee.
According to Sport Witness, Newcastle United have joined the race for Bayern Munich outcast Joshua Zirkzee, who is being tracked by many other clubs. The 21-year-old has struggled to cement a spot in the Bavarian giants’ first team and is now being linked with a summer exit.
Zirkzee joined Bayern Munich’s Under-17 side in 2017, after being linked with the likes of Everton, Manchester United and Arsenal. He rose through the ranks at Bayern to finally make his first-team debut in the 2019/20 season. In his debut term with the senior squad, Zirkzee played nine Bundesliga games, scoring four and assisting one goal in them.
Chances were tough to come by in the following season, and he was eventually sent out to Parma on a six-month loan deal for the second half of the 2020/21 season. Anderlecht came calling upon his return to Bavaria last summer, and another loan deal followed, albeit this was a successful one.
Zirkzee scored 18 goals across competitions for the Belgian side, on top of providing 13 assists. His performance in Belgium has put several clubs on alert, including Anderlecht, who wish to make the move permanent.
However, they are also in the market for Inter Milan’s Sebastiano Esposito, which could again hamper Zirkzee’s game time. But Anderlecht have continued to monitor the Dutch centre-forward’s situation, with Bayern holding the key in their Zirkzee pursuit.
Newcastle United and Ajax have emerged as potential suitors for the 21-year-old as well. The Magpies are eager to add attacking reinforcements this summer, and Zirkzee could be a decent option for them to consider.
Under Eddie Howe, Newcastle had a great second half of the recently-concluded season as they finished 11th in the Premier League. With new owners on board, the Magpies are eager to strengthen in multiple positions to rise up the English top-flight table in the upcoming seasons.
VfB Stuttgart are also said to be showing interest in getting Zirkzee on board, making this a four-way battle for the centre-forward’s signature. The player will return to Bavaria this month, but his playing time will again take a hit with Sadio Mane’s arrival.
With Newcastle United’s pursuit of Hugo Ekitike falling apart, they are on the lookout for a new striker, making Zirkzee a viable option. But given the intense competition for the 21-year-old Dutchman, it remains to be seen if they can sign him from Bayern Munich.
