Netherlands legend Willem van Hanegem is backing Bayern Munich new kid on the block Joshua Zirkzee to gatecrash manager Ronald Koeman's Dutch squad for the 2020 European Championship despite his young age.
Lyon forward Memphis Depay is expected to miss the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate knee ligament, and the former Manchester United man has become a huge doubt to participate in the European Championship.
Willem van Hanegem has identified Zirkzee as one of the possible candidates to replace Depay in the Netherlands squad.
Should the 18-year-old feature for the Netherlands during the tournament, even for one second, he won't be eligible to play for the Super Eagles in future.
"What makes me happy is the development of Orkun Kökçü. He was in an interesting class with the youth of Orange with, among others, Mo Ihattaren and Joshua Zirkzee,'' van Hanegem said in his column on Algemeen Dagblad.
"The latter really made a great entrance at Bayern Munich. Two very important goals at a top club in a tough competition.
"If that guy can continue to develop, he might be an option to fill the vacancy of Memphis Depay at Orange. Together with Myron Boadu and Wout Weghorst.
"I am not interested in the fact that Zirkzee and Boadu are very young. Age says nothing. Do you think they will let someone in Bayern come in who is not ready?"
"If that guy can continue to develop, he might be an option to fill the vacancy of Memphis Depay at Orange. Together with Myron Boadu and Wout Weghorst.
"I am not interested in the fact that Zirkzee and Boadu are very young. Age says nothing. Do you think they will let someone in Bayern come in who is not ready?"
Zirkzee became provisionally cap-tied to the Netherlands when he featured in an U17 Euro qualifier against Hungary in October 2017 and he's currently an U19 international for his country of birth.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
Photo Credit : fcbayern.com
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