Erik ten Hag holds 'personal meeting' with Man Utd transfer target with club ready to trigger his release clause

Manchester United could be close to securing their first signing of the summer after Erik ten Hag held a personal meeting with a top target.

Despite an unlikely victory in the FA Cup final, Manchester United struggled in 2023/24, finishing eighth in the Premier League, their lowest finish since the competition began in 1992.

Although new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe considered several replacements, Ten Hag has kept his job as manager and will now look to strengthen his team ahead of the 2024/25 season.

One area where United struggled, was their striker, with Danish forward Rasmus Hojlund the only available option for most of the season.

And reports suggest that this may be the first issue Ten Hag looks to address, with the Dutchman meeting with young striker Joshua Zirkzee to discuss a move to Old Trafford this summer.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has said that the 23-year-old is still the top target for Manchester United, with the club waiting or the green light from the player to trigger his €40m release clause.

But, while he and his management team were happy to meet with Ten Hag, the Dutch striker will not make a decision on his future until after the 2024 European Championships.

And Manchester United are not the only club hoping to secure the signature of the young talent, as Italian giants AC Milan are reportedly still in the race.

Zirkzee currently plays for Italian side Bologna, where he was club’s top goal scorer with 11 Serie A goals and five assists in 34 appearances.

Meanwhile, United scored just 57 league goals in the 23/24 season, with ten coming from striker Hojlund.

Joshua Zirkzee helped Bologna secure fifth place in the Serie A in 2023/24. (Image: Getty)

Despite being called up to the 26-man Euro 2024 squad by Ronald Koeman following injuries to midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Teun Koopmeiners, Zirkzee is yet to make his senior debut for The Netherlands but has enjoyed a youth career with his nation since the age of 14.

His next Euro 2024 match will take place on Tuesday night, as The Netherlands face off against Romania in the Allianz Arena at 5pm BST.

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