Manchester United might turn to Romelu Lukaku if they fail to secure Bologna's striker Joshua Zirkzee. AC Milan shares this view.

Italian media 'Calcio Mercato' reported on July 3 (Korean time) that both AC Milan and Manchester United prioritize Joshua Zirkzee, with Romelu Lukaku as a backup option. This could mark a surprising return for Lukaku, sold to Inter Milan in the summer of 2019.

Both teams are keen on signing Zirkzee, born in 2001, from Bologna. According to the media, Zirkzee has a release clause of €40 million (about 59.7 billion won).

Zirkzee is eager to transfer. Transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano said, "Bologna director Giovanni Sartori mentioned that Zirkzee is 99.9% likely to leave the team this summer." He added, "Manchester United is actively negotiating with the player's camp, while AC Milan has not yet approved the transfer."

If Zirkzee transfers to either team, the other might consider Lukaku as an alternative. AC Milan has never signed Lukaku before, making this a viable option, but the possibility of Manchester United considering him is quite shocking, given Lukaku's previous stint there was deemed unsuccessful.

Manchester United signed Lukaku from Everton in the summer of 2017 for a hefty £75 million (about 132.2 billion won). Lukaku had scored over 20 goals in each of his three seasons at Everton, making United confident of his success. In the previous season, he scored 25 league goals, finishing as the second top scorer in the Premier League.

His first season at United was decent, with 27 goals including 16 in the league. However, his second season saw a decline, with only 15 goals in 45 games. United then sold him to Inter Milan for £60 million (about 105.8 billion won).

At Inter Milan, Lukaku thrived under coach Antonio Conte, becoming one of the top strikers in the league, scoring over 30 goals in two seasons and adapting to playing with his back to the goal. He also won the Serie A title with Conte.

Lukaku transferred back to Chelsea in the summer of 2021 but struggled again, leading to loan spells at Inter Milan and AS Roma, where he began to regain form. Lukaku has proven more effective in Serie A than in the Premier League.

Although both Manchester United and AC Milan see him as a Plan B, Lukaku reportedly prefers a reunion with Conte, now coaching Napoli.

Italian transfer market expert Gianluca Di Marzio said, "Lukaku hopes to work with Conte again and prioritizes Napoli," adding, "While he hasn't ruled out AC Milan, Lukaku currently prefers Napoli."

Lukaku's next destination depends on his current club, Chelsea. Chelsea wants to sell him to the Saudi Arabian league for a significant fee, but Lukaku seems reluctant to move there.먹튀검증사이트