Manchester United Eye Move for Igor Matanovic Amid Zirkzee Uncertainty
Manchester United are weighing up a late move for Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic as uncertainty grows around Joshua Zirkzee’s future at Old Trafford – and they’re not alone in the chase.
Tottenham and Fiorentina are also in the frame for the 21-year-old, whose 11-goal Bundesliga season has quickly turned him into one of Europe’s most-watched emerging forwards. In Croatia, he’s already being talked about as the heir to Mario Mandzukic. That kind of billing tends to attract Premier League money.
Zirkzee exit could trigger United move
United’s summer plan was clear: fix the midfield first. Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos have all arrived from Brighton, Aston Villa and Chelsea respectively, reshaping the core of Erik ten Hag’s side. Karl Darlow has come in as back-up goalkeeper on a free, while young defender Tynan Thompson joined from Tottenham in a deal worth around £8m.
The expectation around Carrington has been that, if anything else happens, it would be at left-back. A left-winger and a striker have been discussed, but left-back has sat at the top of the “if possible” list.
That equation changes the moment Zirkzee walks out of the door.
Ben Jacobs has made it clear that INEOS are prepared to act up front if the Dutchman leaves before the deadline. Speaking to Betway Insider, he explained that United are “alert” to bringing in a new No. 9, with interest in Zirkzee coming from both the Premier League and Serie A.
The dynamic is simple: if Zirkzee stays, United can ride out the window. If he goes, the final hours become a scramble.
Fiorentina are already positioning themselves. With Como closing in on Moise Kean, the Florence club are, according to Fabrizio Romano, in advanced talks with United over a deal for Zirkzee. That move would leave a hole in United’s forward line – and open the door for someone like Matanovic.
Matanovic in demand
Fiorentina’s recruitment team have been tracking Matanovic as well, but their pursuit is getting complicated. Thursday’s print edition of Gazzetta dello Sport, relayed by Sport Witness, describes a move for the Freiburg striker as “difficult but not impossible” for the Serie A side.
The problem for them is the Premier League.
Interest from Manchester United and Tottenham has raised the stakes. Matanovic’s 11 Bundesliga goals last season have put him firmly on the radar of clubs looking for a young, physical No. 9 who can grow into a leading role rather than demand one immediately.
The market might be breaking United’s way. Omar Marmoush is moving towards Tottenham, while Fiorentina are pushing hard for Zirkzee. If those deals land as expected, United could find a clearer path to Matanovic than anyone anticipated a week ago.
Left-back puzzle still unsolved
While the striker situation threatens to explode late in the window, United’s left-back search continues in the background, with no obvious breakthrough yet.
Jacobs says the club are still assessing what’s realistic in the final days. Alejandro Balde has been offered around, and Barcelona are understood to be open to a sale at around €45m. On paper, it’s a big opportunity.
United, though, are thinking long-term. The preference, according to Jacobs, is for a loan with an option to buy rather than an outright purchase. Part of that calculation is Lewis Hall. The Newcastle defender is viewed inside Old Trafford as the ideal long-term solution at left-back, with 2027 seen as a potential moment to make a serious push.
Hall is not thought to be available this late in the current window, which leaves United with a choice: commit now to a permanent signing like Balde, or bring in a stopgap and keep their powder dry for Hall down the line.
Balde remains one to watch, but nothing has advanced. United have also been offered Jorge Salinas and David Raum as alternative left-back options, though none of those possibilities has yet moved beyond the exploratory stage.
So United head into the final stretch of the window juggling two delicate fronts: a left-back they don’t want to get wrong, and a striker they might suddenly have to replace. If Zirkzee does go and Matanovic becomes available, how bold will INEOS be in reshaping the attack on the fly?
