Juventus Pursues Joshua Zirkzee as Manchester United Considers Sale
Joshua Zirkzee walked into Old Trafford in 2024 as the next big thing from Serie A. A £36.5 million bet on flair, touch and promise. Twelve months on, he is edging towards the exit, with Europe’s heavyweights circling and Manchester United ready to listen.
The Dutch striker has become one of this summer’s most intriguing transfer stories, with multiple clubs testing the water, according to The Athletic. United are open to a sale. Zirkzee, after a difficult introduction to English football, is now assessing where his career truly takes off.
Two unnamed Premier League rivals have already checked in, sounding out his situation and United’s stance. Ajax also made an enquiry, sensing an opportunity to bring the 23-year-old back to the Netherlands. That door appears to have closed almost as quickly as it opened; the Eredivisie club are not expected to push on after bringing in Marcos Leonardo and Tolu Arokodare, moves that effectively fill their attacking quota.
So the spotlight swings to Turin.
Juventus are driving the hardest and clearest for his signature, working on a loan agreement that would take Zirkzee back to Serie A. The forward has, by all accounts, given the move his approval. A return to the league that made his name appeals. The rhythm of Italian football, the space between the lines, the chance to be a focal point again rather than a rotation option on the fringes of a rebuild.
His time in England has been harshly instructive. Zirkzee arrived from Bologna on the back of a stellar 2023-24 campaign, a season that convinced United he could be the technical, creative No 9 to knit their attack together. The Premier League, though, has not been kind.
Across the past two seasons, he has managed just 19 starts in 56 league appearances. Five goals. That is the bare, unforgiving line of his record in England. The talent has flashed in moments, but not often enough to command an undisputed starting role. Physical intensity, tempo, the constant churn of pressure – the adaptation has been slower than United hoped and slower than Zirkzee needed.
Yet the quality has never truly been in doubt. It resurfaced again in pre-season, where he produced an excellent goal in a strong display against Rosenborg, a reminder of the smooth first touch and composure that made him such a coveted prospect in Italy. It was the sort of finish that makes coaches pause before signing off on a sale.
Still, the numbers and the reality of United’s project point in one direction. The club need clarity in attack, minutes for emerging forwards, and room on the wage bill. Zirkzee needs trust, rhythm and a system that plays to his strengths. Juventus believe they can offer that, at least initially, on loan.
If the deal goes through, it will mark a sharp turn in a career that looked set to explode in England but never quite ignited. The question now is simple: does a return to Serie A unlock the version of Joshua Zirkzee that Old Trafford thought it was buying?
