Manchester United will be presented with an offer for Joshua Zirkzee. Here’s the latest.
A slow start to the season for Joshua Zirkzee has caused a bit of a dilemma for the forward, and led to speculation over his departure.
Zirkzee was omitted from all three Netherlands squads, and he is now at risk of missing out on the 2026 World Cup.
This has led to interest in his availability from clubs in Italy, where Zirkzee is held in high regard after an impressive spell with Bologna, where he was named in the Serie A Team of the Year.
The club with the strongest interest in Zirkzee is Roma, with it suggested they want to sign him as early as January 1.
Manchester United must KEEP Joshua Zirkzee in January
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Joshua Zirkzee celebrates scoring for Manchester United.
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Joshua Zirkzee latest
Joshua Zirkzee is still high on Roma’s list of targets, although their task has been made a little more difficult by his recent impact for Manchester United.
Benjamin Sesko’s injury has seen Zirkzee finally called up to start for Manchester United for the first time this season. It did not go well against Everton – but he proved his worth with a vital goal against Crystal Palace.
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Tuttomercatoweb report Roma plan to sign Joshua Zirkzee on a loan.
The conditions are that the loan will be with an option to buy, that becomes an obligation if they qualify for Champions League football.
Roma have a good chance at this, they currently rank fourth in Serie A – just one point behind first, and three points ahead of fifth. But there are no guarantees.
And as far as we are concerned, this is not an offer Manchester United should accept.
Financially there is little incentive. United will still likely be able to sell Zirkzee in summer 2026, if that is the club’s aim.
And there is only a minor advantage to getting his wages covered. The potential on-pitch benefit of keeping him is greater.
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Keeping Zirkzee is the right move
The injury to Benjamin Sesko was not serious, thankfully, and he will return soon. But it has served to highlight how necessary Joshua Zirkzee is to this squad.
Head coach Ruben Amorim does not rate Chido Obi highly enough right now to even name him on the bench.
So why exactly would United agree to loan the only viable stand-in for Sesko, in case the Slovenian suffers another injury?
To let him leave in January would be high-risk because top scorer Bryan Mbeumo is away at the African Nations Cup.
While there would be a temporary saving on Zirkzee’s wages, keeping the forward could benefit the club in terms of points and season position – which would repay itself in terms of prize money.
And if Zirkzee scores a goal that is the difference between finishing in a Champions League place, then keeping him will be a fantastic decision.
United’s transfer targets for January are believed to be focused on midfield – so there is no need to create a hole up front that needs filling.
With Zirkzee proving his usefulness to United, it’s time for Roma to look elsewhere.
And as for Zirkzee’s World Cup ambitions – the best way to send a message to the Netherlands is by starring for United’s first team.