“Don’t worry…” Manchester United signing is “going to plan”, says Fabrizio Romano

Manchester United are set to complete their first signing of the INEOS era in the coming days as Erik ten Hag secures fresh players for his squad.

Rasmus Højlund’s debut season at Manchester United had its ups and downs. He displayed his goal-scoring prowess by netting 16 goals across all competitions, five of which came in the Champions League, and played a crucial role in United’s FA Cup victory.

However, Højlund faced challenges on the international stage. During the 2024 European Championships, the Danish striker struggled with a lacklustre Denmark team. The Danes did not win a single game and were knocked out by the host nation, Germany.

Read More: Erik ten Hag delivers major hint about Man United starlets, big potential roles next season

Despite the pressure of being just 20 years old, Højlund lived up to the £72 million transfer fee United paid to Atalanta, demonstrating his potential and talent.

With Anthony Martial’s contract having expired and his departure from the club, Manchester United is seeking to bolster its forward line. An agreement has reportedly been reached for the transfer of Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee.

“For Joshua Zirkzee, everything is going to plan. So don’t worry, Manchester United fans, the here we go is coming,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.

“It’s just about Manchester United deciding about how to proceed. As I told you already over the weekend, whether they want to pay the release clause €40 million (£34m) to Bologna, one solution is to go and pay immediately, or they want to negotiate with Bologna.

“So, maybe pay slightly more than the release clause, in my opinion, something like €42-43 million (£35-36m), but get better payment terms, and so pay that money in maybe three, four, five years. So this is the discussion between Manchester United and Bologna.

“Let’s see if they can agree on a new structure with Bologna for Joshua Zirkzee’s deal. Otherwise, they will pay the release clause. But Man United have decided to go for Joshua Zirkzee. They have an agreement with the player, and with his agent, Kia Jarabchand.

“They are also respecting the timing for the Netherlands, who are in the semi-finals of the Euros, but then they believe that in the next days, Joshua Zirkzee will be ready to become a new Manchester United signing – the first signing of the new era under INEOS.”

Romano also stated that Zirkzee has agreed to a five-year contract, although the salary he will receive and the commission his agent has agreed to have not yet been specified.

Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is released every Thursday at 6 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.