Fiorentina Leads Juventus in Zirkzee Transfer Race
Fiorentina have moved into pole position to sign Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United, nudging ahead of Juventus in a Serie A tug-of-war for the Dutch forward.
United are prepared to let the 25-year-old leave before the end of the summer window after two stagnant years at Old Trafford. Zirkzee started only five Premier League games last season and did not get off the bench in United’s opening league fixture of the 2026-27 campaign against newly-promoted Hull City.
His path has now become even more crowded. Marcus Rashford is back from his loan at Barcelona, pushing Zirkzee further down the attacking hierarchy and making a clean break increasingly likely.
Serie A calling again
Zirkzee has admirers in Italy for good reason. In 2023-24 he hit 11 Serie A goals for Bologna, a season that rebuilt his reputation and showcased his blend of technique and penalty-box presence. That campaign has not been forgotten.
Both Juventus and Fiorentina have sounded out United over a deal to bring him back to Italy. The interest is concrete, but the situations at the two clubs are very different.
Juventus want another attacker, yet their move is tied to outgoings. They are expected to find a new club for Jonathan David before committing to a significant deal for Zirkzee. Until that happens, their pursuit remains on standby.
Fiorentina, by contrast, are under pressure to act now. Moise Kean is on the verge of joining Champions League side Como in a €40m transfer, leaving a sizeable gap in Vincenzo Italiano’s frontline and money ready to be reinvested.
Ready-made replacement
That urgency could prove decisive. With Kean set to depart and Zirkzee already proven in Serie A, Fiorentina see him as a direct, immediate replacement rather than a luxury addition.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, that difference in timing has tilted the race. Juventus’s interest is real but conditional on sales. Fiorentina’s need is immediate, their pathway clearer, and their willingness to strike an agreement with Manchester United stronger.
Unless Juventus accelerate their own exits, the next time Zirkzee walks out of a tunnel in Italy may well be in purple, not black and white.
