Joshua Zirkzee's Manchester United stint may be short-lived, as reports link the Dutch forward with a potential January departure.
United signed Zirkzee from Bologna for £36.5m in the summer. He made his debut as a substitute in the opening fixture against Fulham, scoring the match’s only goal, however, the move overall has not worked out for him with him failing to impress so far.
The turning point came during United’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle, where manager Ruben Amorim substituted Zirkzee after just 33 minutes. The Old Trafford faithful jeered 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 is a human being in there. He is being cheered off by his own fans, and that is brutal.”
As per recent reports, he has had a falling out with the manager after the incident and is now looking to force a move away this month.
Another report states that the manager himself is keen on offloading him, having been left unimpressed by him.
Swap deal with Dusan Vlahovic in the works?
Among clubs interested in signing him are Italian giants Juventus and Napoli. Juventus, in particular, appear to be more keen on securing his transfer, with the club’s sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli also recently hinting at a potential move.
However, Juventus’ financial constraints mean they can only pursue a loan deal, prompting discussions of 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 deal involving Zirkzee and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.
He said:
“In Italy he 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 find the coach who consecrated him again.”
A win-win for Manchester United?
United have long admired Vlahovic, and a swap deal would present an opportunity to secure the prolific Serbian striker. Vlahovic has already netted seven goals in Serie A this season, adding to an impressive total of 53 goals and 11 assists in 123 appearances for 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. Additionally, beating rivals Chelsea and Arsenal, who are also reportedly interested in Vlahovic—would be a significant coup for the Red Devils.
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