Joshua Zirkzee is on the verge of being the newest player to join the Manchester United squad. 



This marks the first <a href="https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/sir-jim-ratcliffe-on-ineos-philosophy-and-how-it-fits-with-man-utd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">INEOS</a>-era signing and serves as a testament to the owners’ efforts to have a youthful squad. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a> have agreed a fee of about €42 million (£35 million) for the 23-year-old. 



The price is more than the Dutchman’s €40 million release clause, but whereas the release clause has to be paid in full, United can pay the €42 million over the next three years.&nbsp;



His landing at Old Trafford has been received positively by fans. As we speak, he is currently going through medical checkups and will soon hit the pitch. 



<h2>Timing a big factor for United</h2>



He comes at a critical moment when Manchester United has been struggling with the center-forward position. 



Hojlund has been solely occupying the position, and therefore Zirkzee’s arrival will relieve him of the pressure. Other than that, he is also seen to have complementary skills to Hojlund. 



However, it will be interesting to see who gets more playtime. Additionally, Manchester United will have a pair of talented young center forwards that will lead their attack for many years to come.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="435" height="478" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240714_WST_516269_image-9_f5ff955a.webp&amp;width=435&amp;height=478" alt="" class="wp-image-516484" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/07/image-9.png 435w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/07/image-9-273x300.png 273w" sizes="(max-width: 435px) 100vw, 435px"></figure><figcaption>The transfer of Joshua Zirkee to Manchester United is about to be confirmed.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Zirkzee’s journey to Old Trafford</h2>



Now, who is Zirkzee? Well, he is a 23-year-old Dutch star who has been playing for Bologna FC. 



He went through <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/bayern-munich-tv-schedule/">Bayern Munich’s</a> system and later had a brief stint at Anderlecht. He scored 18 goals for the Belgian team in the 2021–22 season before joining the Serie A club Bologna Fc.



 In the 2023–24 season, he was Bologna’s top scorer with a total of 12 goals in 37 appearances. He also gave five assists and was instrumental in the club securing a spot in the Champions League’s group stage for the first time since 1963–64.



Looking at his plays during the 2023–24 season, you can tell he has a lot of potential. Zirkzee also made his Netherlands debut in the 2-1 Euro 2024 quarter-final win over Turkey as an 87th-minute substitute.



When you look at Zirkzee’s games, you can tell he is quick and has control of the ball. He is also a reliable striker and is always in the right spot on the pitch. The striker has a height advantage too. 



Standing at 6’4”, he is a tower of a man. His ability to drop off and link up plays gives United’s attack added variety. Not only that, he is a fluid dribbler, and with his physicality, he can hold up the ball and bring others into play.



Zirkzee is also able to play as a wide forward, dragging defenders away and disorganizing defenses. He often picks up the ball from deep and wide areas and can pass and dribble to get through tight spaces. Looking at his games, he averaged 1.5 clearances and made 30 passes per game. He is seen as a facilitator and creates a lot of chances for his teammates.



In essence, the 23-year-old has a lot to bring to the table. He is filling a position that was abandoned for a long time. Yes, you could argue that Hojlund has done a pretty good job as a center forward, but he also needs someone who complements him. 



Someone who takes the pressure away and redirects defenders to give space for his teammates to score. That person could just be Joshua Zirkzee.



Photo credit: IMAGO / Sportsphoto

What Joshua Zirkzee's signing means for Manchester United 

Joshua Zirkzee is on the verge of being the newest player to join the Manchester United squad. The first INEOS-era signing

What Joshua Zirkzee's signing means for Manchester United  - World Soccer Talk

Interest has recently increased in TV shows around sports. From Formula 1: Drive to Survive to Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, we’ve been served with behind-the-scenes footage of many of our favorite sports teams. So when Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, and Eva Longoria teamed up to make a TV series about Liga MX club Necaxa, we weren’t completely surprised. 



Like <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/wrexham-tv-schedule-for-viewers-in-usa/">Wrexham</a>, Necaxa is a team that has been around for a century or more. The club has potential but hasn’t performed as well as it can on the pitch. Therefore the club needed new energy, something to inspire their performances, and who else should be tasked with this endeavor other than the two people who have done the exact thing since 2020?



Reynolds and McElhenney have proven their success with Welcome to Wrexham. The Emmy award-winning docuseries released its third season in May and a <a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/welcome-to-wrexham-renewed-season-4-fx-1236003456/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fourth season is in the works</a>. The untitled Necaxa series will likely adopt a similar style to the Wrexham show. Plus it’ll feature team co-owner and actress Longoria who also doubles as the executive producer. In essence, the individuals behind this project are experts in producing television and making smart business decisions.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="WELCOME TO WREXHAM: Humphrey Ker interview #wxmafc 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TQxm_806Cb8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<h2>Necaxa hoping to benefit from Welcome to Wrexham blueprint</h2>



Wrexham was once a struggling team and so was Necaxa. Therefore it’s likely the show will document the rise and revival of the team’s fortunes. It is a classic rags-to-riches story only that in this case, the team isn’t completely broke but rather on the verge of total collapse. Reynolds and McElhenney have already <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/reynolds-and-mcelhenney-purchase-stake-in-liga-mx-side-necaxa/">purchased a stake in the club</a> and they now join Arsenal legend Mesut Ozil and Miami Dolphins Odell Beckham Jr in ownership.



The show will be in both English and Spanish so you can already tell they are anticipating global success. Much of the show will be unstructured likely because we have two comic legends of unscripted films. Reynolds has had huge successes in his acting career away from the business world. His upcoming movie Deadpool 3 is expected to shatter various records. McElhenney is also a successful actor and is widely renowned for the hit show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Hence, fans should expect more quality entertainment and humor in this new series.



Given their previous successes in movies and TV production, their input in the making of the Necaxa series could make it another hit show. The duo has cracked the format for reality TV, and they’ve seen something in Necaxa. 



As for the production, this project will be a collaboration of various studios. Hyphenate Media Group, Maximum Effort Productions, and 3 Arts Entertainment have been tasked with making the show. If you have been following Reynolds for a while, you will know that Maximum Effort Productions is one of his various investments. This is what he used to make the various advertisements for his gin company which Reynolds recently sold for $610 million, earning him a profit, including Mint Mobile, of <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ryan-reynolds-made-over-450-222854697.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more than $450 million</a>. Don’t be surprised if this show wins another Emmy.&nbsp;



Photo: IMAGO / Agencia-MexSport

Filming starts on Necaxa TV series with help of Wrexham owners

Filming has begun on the brand-new Necaxa TV series that's backed by Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Eva Longoria.

Filming starts on Necaxa TV series with help of Wrexham owners - World Soccer Talk

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What Joshua Zirkzee's signing means for Manchester United

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Filming starts on Necaxa TV series with help of Wrexham owners