The obvious Joshua Zirkzee replacement: Man Utd have golden opportunity to sign £66m striker for bargain fee
Manchester United are expected to cash in on striker Joshua Zirkzee after a challenging 18 months
Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly in advanced talks with Italian heavyweights AS Roma as he edges closer to a move away from Old Trafford after 18 challenging months in English football.
The Red Devils paid £36 million to sign the striker from Bologna in 2024 in the final transfer window of the Erik ten Hag tenure. It made him the first senior addition of the Ineos regime since they invested in the club.
Zirkzee arrived with great promise after helping The Red and Blues qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1965. He had even been compared to football icon Ronaldinho by his former boss Thiago Motta. Overall, the Dutch forward scored 11 league goals and registered five assists for Bologna during his final season at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.
"Joshua is an outstanding talent who is ready to make an impact for Manchester United. His ability and desire to grow into a world-class player means that he will be a great addition to the squad that we are building for the exciting season ahead and beyond,” said former sporting director Dan Ashworth at the time.
Zirkzee scored on his United debut to help the team to a victory over Fulham on matchday one of the 2024/25 season, but had to wait until December to score again in the league with both of his final goals of the season coming in a 4-0 triumph over Everton. That was as good as it got for the Netherlands striker in his first Premier League season as he struggled to capitalise on the opportunities he was given.
Zirkzee could leave Man Utd in January
Overall, Zirkzee scored seven across all competitions in 49 appearances in his debut campaign. However, following the arrivals of more high-profile names such as Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, along with the return to fitness of Mason Mount, he has become an increasingly peripheral figure.
He’s scored just once in 10 league appearances and has started just three matches since the start of the season and is thought to be growing frustrated with his minutes. He’s reported to be seeking a move away from Old Trafford, although United chiefs have not yet decided whether they’ll allow the striker to go to the Italian capital at a time when their light on numbers in attack due to AFCON.
It has previously been reported that Roma would look to spend €35m (£30.72m) on a total transfer package, including a loan fee. Meaning United would get back most of what they paid for the struggling forward.
Man Utd have golden opportunity to sign £66m striker for bargain fee
In an ideal world Ruben Amorim would like to have two competitive No.9s in his squad competing for a spot in the central forward position. Sesko is currently considered the main man. He’s still finding his feet in English football after arriving from RB Leipzig for £73.7m while Rasmus Hojlund is not expected to return from his loan spell at Napoli. They hold a £38m option to sign the striker if they qualify for the Champions League which appears likely based on the start they’ve made.
This means that if United were to sell Zirkzee then they’d have to either sign a replacement in January or risk going through the remainder of the season with just one recognised forward. United could of course cope with this due to Cunha and Mbeumo’s versatility but realistically speaking if the Red Devils were to qualify for the Champions League or at the bare minimum some form of Europe, they’d ideally need another clinical centre forward.
The United teams of old at times had as many as four great forwards with Dwight Cole, Andy Cole, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham’s all being options in 1998/99 - and while the team no longer play 4-4-2 it’s clear that competition for places particularly in attack is a necessity in the modern game given the number of matches played.
Therefore it could make sense for United to delve into the market for a striker like Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbian international has been amongst the top strikers in Italian football for more than five years. He boasts an overall record of 90 goals and 18 assists in 215 Serie A appearances and still has more to offer at the age of 25.
Vlahovic made a name for himself at Serbian side Partizan Belgrade but really rose to prominence at Fiorentina after moving to Italy in 2018. He finished the 2021 calendar year with 33 Serie A goals. In the history of the Italian top-flight, only Juventus legend from the 1930s, Felice Borel (41 goals in 1933) and Milan’s Swedish scoring machine Gunnar Nordahl (36 goals in 1950) have scored more in a single calendar year.
Overall, Vlahovic scored 41 times in his final 18 months at Fiorentina before eventually signing for Juventus in January 2022 for £66m despite strong interest from Arsenal who were close to striking a deal. He’s managed to find the net 64 times in 162 appearances for the Old Lady while winning the 2024 Coppa Italia, but has recently fallen down the pecking order as a first choice starter following the signing of Jonathan David.
Vlahovic is approaching the final six months of his career with Juventus and is thought to be considering his options. Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy said earlier this year: “Juventus are considering selling Dusan Vlahovic this January to avoid losing him on a free transfer in the summer.”
Therefore it could make sense for Man Utd to bring Vlahovic in either January to boost their chances of qualifying for Europe and to give the team further firepower in attack.