Joshua Zirkzee Scout Report
At just 22 years old, Joshua Zirkzee has emerged as a genuine striking talent in Serie A for Bologna, showcasing powerful attributes that set him apart from his peers. Perhaps most striking is his near-peerless ability in ball recovery - a remarkable 98.18th percentile, that is admittedly unusual for a centre-forward, pointing to a considerably high work rate and defensive astuteness. This level of industry complements his excellent chance creation, falling in the 90.91st percentile. Zirkzee's knack for creating opportunities for his teammates is matched with his impressive ball retention (63.64th percentile) and a progressive carrying that falls in the 70th percentile, making him a significant threat going forward. Additionally, with a goal efficiency ranking at the 81.82nd percentile, he evidently makes his valuable contributions count.
However, some accumulation of weaknesses prevents him from reaching his full potential. His goal threat, falling at a trifling 27.27th percentile, surprisingly, is a cause for concern as it betrays a lack of consistent predatory instincts in-front of goal, unusual for a striker in his position. He will need to improve his adeptness at influencing games in the final third, evidenced by his xG per 90 in the lower 34.55th percentile. However, tackling these drawbacks brilliantly, Zirkzee exhibits a strong pass accuracy per 90 achieving an impressive 85.45% suggesting a target man role as a plausible strategy to maximize his skillset.
Overall, still within the U23 category, Zirkzee's growth and potential cannot be understated. His positional adaptation, defensive contributions, and advanced forward-playing style are notable within Serie A; with some sharpening of his finishing edges, this Dutch prodigy could rise to remarkable prominence.
