Joshua Zirkzee Set for Fiorentina Move from Manchester United
Joshua Zirkzee is edging towards the Old Trafford exit – and Fiorentina are moving quickly to pull him back to Serie A.
The Manchester United striker has reached an agreement on personal terms with the Tuscan club, according to Italian journalist Damiano Er Faina, in what looks increasingly like a clean break from a stalled Premier League chapter.
Carrick’s clear message
The turning point came early.
On the opening day of the Premier League season, with United chasing a goal that never arrived against Hull City, Michael Carrick left Zirkzee rooted to the bench. No late cameo. No roll of the dice.
For a 25-year-old forward already struggling for minutes since Carrick’s appointment in January, the omission landed like a verdict. The “odd man out” tag in United’s attacking department suddenly felt permanent.
Zirkzee has now accepted the reality: he is no longer part of United’s plans. Rather than endure another season as a spectator, the Dutchman is ready to move on.
Italy calls again
Serie A has never really stopped calling his name.
Zirkzee’s reputation in Italy remains strong after his impressive spell at Bologna, and for a long time Juventus and Napoli were viewed as the most likely landing spots if he returned.
But the landscape has shifted. Fiorentina have surged to the front of the queue.
The Viola are close to offloading Moise Kean to Como, a move that would free up both space in the squad and room in the wage bill. Sporting director Fabio Paratici, back operating in familiar Italian waters after his Tottenham stint, is now working to plug that gap with Zirkzee, adding another versatile forward to Fabio Grosso’s options.
Personal terms are understood to be agreed with the Netherlands international. The final hurdle is the one that always matters most: Fiorentina still need to strike a deal with Manchester United before Tuesday’s transfer deadline. The structure and figures of any transfer are yet to emerge, but the direction of travel is obvious.
The stars, for once, seem to be aligning for both club and player.
United’s next problem: who comes in?
For United, Zirkzee’s likely departure creates a different kind of headache.
They cannot let him go without lining up a replacement, yet they are operating late in the window and with a clear internal hierarchy up front. Any new arrival will sit behind Benjamin Sesko, not in front of him. That reality limits both budget and ambition.
The market is thin. The clock is loud.
Jean-Philippe Mateta has been floated as one solution. At 29, he offers Premier League experience and a physical profile that fits English football. Crystal Palace, though, are holding out for a substantial fee despite his contract running down, and United have shown no appetite to overspend on a back-up striker.
Alexander Sorloth, 30, presents a more realistic route. Now at Atletico Madrid, he appears to be on the fringes despite carrying a strong reputation and a track record of goals in other leagues. His situation suggests a deal could be easier – and cheaper – to engineer.
United must now decide how much they value depth behind Sesko, and how much risk they are willing to take with a long season ahead.
Zirkzee looks set to revive his career in Florence. The real question is whether United can move just as decisively to ensure his exit doesn’t leave them short when the goals dry up and the pressure rises.
