MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Manchester United newcomer Joshua Zirkzee said fans can expect to see a creative, unpredictable player who developed his skills in cage football, and idolised Ronaldinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The 23-year-old striker signed for United on Sunday after an excellent season with Serie A club Bologna where he scored 11 goals and made five assists and helped them secure a place in the Champions League group stage.
“Yeah, it’s been a roller-coaster the past few weeks, but some very good experiences. I’m very happy to be here,” Zirkzee said in an interview for United’s website.
“Obviously (I’m arriving) at a good point, making a transfer to Manchester United is obviously something very positive, so yeah, I just can’t wait to get started and continue what I basically did last season.”
The 1.93-metre Zirkzee is technically gifted for a player his size, which he attributes to his childhood in Spijkenisse, in the south of the Netherlands where he developed his skills in Johan Cruyff cages, enclosed football pitches named after the Dutch football great.
“As a young boy growing up, playing mostly with tougher, bigger guys who are older than you make you adapt, so I think that’s something that you learn at a young age in Holland, especially where I grew up,” Zirkzee said.
“(I’m a) creative player, good with the ball, I’m just a bit unpredictable at times.”
He laughingly recounted the countless times he got in trouble with his mother for coming home late.
“I hope she forgives me now for all the times I came home late, or if I broke something in the backyard,” he said. “Eventually it all worked out pretty well but yeah, that was just life back when I was younger, playing football, forgetting about the time and getting back home late.”
Zirkzee said having a Dutch manager in Erik ten Hag “is a privilege” and the added presence of Ruud van Nistelrooy — the former Netherlands and Man United player who joined Ten Hag’s coaching staff earlier this week — will help him adjust to his new team. But they are not the only reasons he made the move to United.
“Manchester United is a great, huge club so it’s just an extra privilege and benefit for me,” he said. “Having some Dutch people around obviously makes it a bit easier, (but) to be fair I’m an easygoing person, I’m not too difficult adapting.
“Obviously when I was younger, watching the Dutch national team, Manchester United, watching (Van Nistelrooy) play, he was one of the guys who you were pretending to be when you were out playing with friends.
“So having him out here is obviously a bit special, it’s great.”
Zirkzee was a late addition to the Netherlands squad for the European Championship, making his senior debut in the quarter-final victory against Turkey. On the heels of Euro 2024, he will be given some time off and is not expected to link up with his new teammates until early August.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Toby Davis)
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