Zlatan drops major hint on AC Milan stance over Man Utd target as record signing blasts former Chelsea boss

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The latest news from across the Premier League as the new season rapidly approaches.

Manchester United’s attempts to land Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee has been handed a major boost by Serie A giants AC Milan.

The Red Devils have reportedly identified the Netherlands international as their preferred target as they look to enhance Erik ten Hag’s attacking options ahead of his third season in charge at Old Trafford. The former Bayern Munich star scored 12 goals and provided seven assists in 37 appearances last season and played a lead role in helping Bologna secure a fifth place finish in Serie A and qualification for the coming season’s Champions League.

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However, his form also captured the attention of several clubs after the likes of Milan, Juventus, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur were all linked with a move for his services during the summer transfer window. It now seems increasingly likely Old Trafford will be his destination once Euro 2024 is over as the Red Devils are said to be ready to trigger a £35m release clause in his contract with Bologna. Their hopes of seeing off competition in the race to sign Zirkzee were further boosted when former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic dropped a major hint Milan were turning their focus elsewhere in their bid to sign a forward player.

Speaking at a press conference unveiling Milan’s new head coach Paulo Fonseca on Monday, Ibrahimovic said: "As I said before, we are studying, but we are in no hurry. The transfer window is long and I can promise that we'll get new signings. We are talking, but nothing is close. Zirkzee is the past. As Paulo said, we have a player in mind. I won't say his name. There is somebody, let's see."

Chelsea star blasts former boss

Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo has delivered a scathing assessment of the methods used by former manager Mauricio Pochettino during his time in charge at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine boss was a surprise appointment last summer and his arrival brought a major overhaul of the squad he inherited as Caicedo joined the likes of Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson as the latest additions to the Blues ranks. After a slow start to his reign that brought constant speculation his time at Chelsea would be short-lived, Pochettino eventually led the club back into Europe and they will compete in the Europa Conference League when the new campaign gets underway next month.

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However, Pochettino’s time as manager has come and gone and it will be former Leicester City head coach Enzo Maresca that will be charged with guiding the West London club to what they hope will be a successful season. Caicedo, who has been in Copa America duty with Ecuador, gave a damning insight into the differences he experienced between former club Brighton and Pochettino’s Chelsea.

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He told Radio La Red: "At Brighton, it was all tactical, just with the ball; tactical, tactical, tactical. And at Chelsea, it was run, run, run and it was very difficult for me. With Chelsea, I always ran a bit more and with Brighton we almost always had the ball, with Chelsea it was a different football and we had to run more. Since February my agent hired a person who reviews my matches and what I have to improve, how to position myself and mentally. It’s helped take pressure off me because I was thinking more about ‘they paid a lot of money for me I have to perform well'. I wasn’t focused, not showing my level, after my agent hired that person, I started to improve and gain more confidence."

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