Joshua Zirkzee’s spell at Manchester United could be short-lived as reports link the Dutch striker with a possible January exit.
United signed Zirkzee from Bologna for £36.5m in the summer. He made his debut as a substitute in the first leg against Fulham, scoring the only goal of the game, however, the overall play has not worked for him as he has failed to impress so far.
The turning point came during United’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle, where manager Ruben Amorim replaced Zirkzee after just 33 minutes. The Old Trafford faithful booed him off the pitch, leaving the player reportedly in tears.
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described the situation as “brutal”, saying: “I actually feel sorry for him. There’s a human being in there. He’s being cheered on by his own fans, and that’s brutal”.
According to recent reports, he had a falling out with the manager after the incident and is now looking into it force away this month.
Another report claims the manager himself is keen to offload him, having failed to impress him.
Change deal with Dusan Vlahovic underway?
Clubs interested in signing him include Italian giants Juventus and Napoli. Juventus, in particular, appear to be more willing to secure his transfer, with the club’s sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli also recently hinting at a possible move.
However, Juventus’ financial constraints mean they can only secure a loan deal, prompting discussions about a creative solution.
According to journalist Enrico Camelio (via Radio Radio Lo Sport), Manchester United and Juventus are exploring the possibility of a sensational swap between Zirkzee and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.
He said:
“In Italy I had done well in Parma and then very well in Bologna precisely with Motta. We are working on it, but there is an idea of ​​an exchange between Vlahovic and Zirkzee, let’s see how the situation evolves.
“The idea is plausible; the Dutchman would once again find the coach who consecrated him”.
A win for Manchester United?
United have long admired Vlahovic, and a swap deal would represent an opportunity to secure the prolific Serbian striker. Vlahovic has already scored seven goals in Serie A this season, adding to an impressive total of 53 goals and 11 assists in 123 games with Juventus.
If the deal goes through, Manchester United could address two key concerns: offloading an underperforming player and bolstering their attacking options with a proven goalscorer. Also, beat the rivals Chelsea and Arsenal, who are also interested in Vlahovic— would be a major coup for the Red Devils.
Ruben Amorim wants the Manchester United star gone in January
