Man United chiefs Jason Wilcox, Omar Berrada and Christopher Vivell
Manchester United have opened the door to a deal with Juventus for striker Joshua Zirkzee to leave on loan, according to Sky Sports Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
The Red Devils have been in the market to bolster their squad all summer, with manager Michael Carrick keen to strengthen in a number of positions ahead of the return to the Champions League this season.
But there are also expected to be some departures from within the squad as they look to balance things up, and it has now emerged that Zirkzee could be on the verge of a departure.
Juventus Ready to Strike Zirkzee Deal
Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee reacts to a decision vs Burnley
Zirkzee, who has been described as 'elite', made the move to Old Trafford from Bologna two summers ago for around £36.5m but has struggled for form and scored just nine goals in 75 appearances for the club.
The Netherlands international has fallen behind Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha in the pecking order for the central striker role under Carrick, and an exit from the club this summer is now expected as he searches for more regular first-team football.
A return to Italy has been mooted, and it has now emerged that Juventus are ready to strike a deal for his signature after Man Utd opened the door to a potential loan.
Zirkzee is understood to be ready to leave the club in his pursuit, with advanced talks reported to have been underway for over a week.
A return to Italy is expected to help Zirkzee return to his best level and potentially claim a spot back in the Netherlands squad, after he missed out on a trip to the World Cup following his lack of appearances.
Juventus are looking to build a super attack and Zirkzee is seen as the perfect foil for new signings Randal Kolo Muani and Kerim Alajbegovic.
Zirkzee Set to Leave Man Utd
Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United while playing Wolverhampton Wanderers
Zirkzee's arrival at the club made a lot of sense at the time as the club looked for an alternative option to Rasmus Hojlund in attack, but it hasn't really worked out for either party.
The player needs to play more regularly in order to find his ryhthm, and while Carrick would give him some minutes in the season, the reality is that he isn't the best stylistic fit for how the manager wants to play and a move away suits everyone.
Juventus are ready to make their move, and United can get a decent deal at this stage of the player's contract and transfer window, so it feels like a deal that is almost inevitable.