Bologna’s Dutch striker, Joshua Zirkzee, has revealed his aspirations for the future during an exclusive interview with Corriere della Sera.
Zirkzee is focused on the remainder of the season, saying, “I’m only thinking about the match with Verona, then I will think about the next one, and so on until the end of the season.” He highlighted his role as a leader within the team, expressing, “Yes, like all my teammates. Now I play regularly because I have completely changed my mentality.”
The young forward also discussed the turning point in his career, which occurred during the previous summer. After the departure of Marko Arnautovic, Zirkzee viewed it as an opportunity to step forward, “When Arnautovic left in the summer, it was time to take more responsibility, prove that I was ready and seize the opportunity,” he stated.
The conversation then steered towards his favoured position on the field – the illustrious number 9.5 role. In reaction to being compared to Italian legends Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero, Zirkzee quipped, “Who, Del Piero?” before adding, “It’s a nice comparison. They are both legends.”
When asked about the potential motivation of Bologna qualifying for the Champions League, Zirkzee re-emphasised his focus on the immediate task at hand: “An incentive to stay? I’m only thinking about Verona.”