Joshua Zirkzee: Fabrizio Romano makes bold claim about United ace

Manchester United’s £36.5 million summer 2024 signing Joshua Zirkzee is ready to walk away from Old Trafford after just one turbulent season, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The 24-year-old Dutch striker, once billed as one of Europe’s most exciting No. 9s, has slipped to the periphery of the squad and now sees a summer exit as inevitable.

Zirkzee arrived from Bologna tasked with pushing—and perhaps overtaking—fellow striker Rasmus Hojlund, but a paltry return of seven goals and three assists in 49 appearances did little to justify the lofty fee. United limped to a 15th-place Premier League finish, scoring only 44 league goals, and the club hierarchy responded by overhauling the forward line.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko was recruited to lead the line, while Hojlund was shipped on loan to Napoli with an obligation to buy. Rather than reignite his career, Zirkzee has found himself behind Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, mustering two goals and one assist in 20 matches this term—only four of them starts. His lone league start came in the 3-2 victory over Burnley, a game in which he again failed to score.

January speculation suggested a mid-season departure, yet Zirkzee remained. Under caretaker boss Michael Carrick he has seen just 28 minutes of action across four substitute appearances, deepening the player’s frustration.

Romano told his YouTube audience that Zirkzee’s mind is already made up: “I can guarantee you guys that the desire of Joshua Zirkzee is to change [clubs] in the summer transfer window. Joshua Zirkzee would welcome a transfer out of Manchester United in the summer transfer window.”

The journalist added that the striker will “stay as a top professional, super focused on helping Manchester United” until May, but expects a definitive split once the market reopens. Premier League and Serie A sides have already begun sounding out United, with Romano confirming “some Premier League clubs already calling to understand if there is a chance to sign Joshua Zirkzee.”

With academy graduate Chido Obi among those knocking on the first-team door, United may decide to recoup a sizeable fee on a player who, barring sporadic flashes, has never truly ignited the Theatre of Dreams.