'We don't like' - CEO of Serie A club gives honest verdict on £34m Man Utd 'target'

Bologna chief executive Claudio Fenucci would not be drawn on the future of reported Manchester United target Joshua Zirkzee but insisted it was his 'desire' to keep his best players at the club.

Zirkzee is thought to have attracted interest from a number of top European clubs after an impressive second season with Bologna. The 22-year-old has 10 goals and three assists in 27 league appearances and has helped his side make an unlikely late push for Champions League qualification.

United were linked with a move for Zirkzee back in January with manager Erik ten Hag open about his desire to strengthen upfront. Such a move never came about but interest is thought to remain going into the summer.

An excellent season for Bologna has inevitably led to interest not just in their top players but also manager Thiago Motta. However, Fenucci prefers to focus on current success and would not entertain talk of any summer exits.

"The coach was the architect of this growth and we hope both he and the players will remain with us," he told Italian radio station Rai Radio 1. "Thiago is very happy in Bologna, it's as if he had a longer contract than he actually has. About Joshua... We don't like to talk much of the future of our players, we prefer to live every moment of the present. There is great enthusiasm. In any case, the desire would be to keep everyone."

Whether United will pursue a move for Zirkzee in the summer remains to be seen but the Dutch under-21 international has also been linked with a move to Arsenal or a return to Bayern Munich, where he spent his final academy years before breaking briefly into the first-team. Reports have suggested any move for the forward would cost around £34million.

United will be in the market for a new striker ahead of next season, with Anthony Martial set to leave as a free agent once his contract expires. That would leave only Rasmus Hojlund as a natural No.9 and Ten Hag has spoken before about not wanting to rely solely on the 20-year-old for goals.