Manchester United fans insisted that new summer signing Joshua Zirkzee reminded them of a cult hero after the player’s impact against Fulham at Old Trafford.
Joshua Zirkzee became the first summer signing of the Ineos era at Old Trafford after Manchester United landed him from Serie A side Bologna.
United agreed a deal worth £36.54m instead of paying Zirkzee’s former release clause of £33.6m, with the Red Devils spreading the cost over a three-year period.
Erik ten Hag had been keen to bring a new forward option to the club this summer after Anthony Martial left Old Trafford at the end of last season.
Zirkzee was absent from the pre-season tour this summer after receiving an extended break following his international duty with the Netherlands at Euro 2024.
The 23-year-old Dutch forward was on the bench for the Community Shield clash last week, but Zirkzee was an unused substitute in the defeat to Manchester City.
Zirkzee’s Man Utd debut vs Fulham
Erik ten Hag was dealt a major blow in pre-season after Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund picked up an injury in the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal this summer.
Rasmus Hojlund is expected to be out of action for around six weeks after his hamstring problem and is likely to return after the September international break.
Ten Hag opted to keep Joshua Zirkzee on the bench for United’s opening Premier League match of the season at Old Trafford.
Bruno Fernandes played a false nine type of role for the first half and early into the second half before the introduction of Zirkzee.
Ten Hag withdrew Mason Mount in the 61st minute and replaced him with Zirkzee, who impressed with his lively attacking presence on the pitch.
Zirkzee made an instant impact on his United debut after he broke the deadlock in the 87th minute and sealed the winner for the Red Devils against Fulham.
The United forward played the ball to Casemiro, who found Alejandro Garnacho out on the right.
Alejandro Garnacho then whipped in a cross and Zirkzee managed to reach the ball ahead of Scott McTominay and poked home a tidy finish past Bernd Leno.
Man Utd fans compare Zirkzee to cult hero
United fans took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, and praised the “super composed” and “very slick” Zirkzee for his impact against Fulham.
Red Devils supporters wasted no time in comparing the Netherlands international to none other than United cult hero Dimitar Berbatov.
United fans insisted that Zirkzee played similarly to former Red Devils striker Dimitar Berbatov with his movement and his involvement in the build-up to his winner.
“Zirkzee moves like Berbatov, not in a rush anywhere and just super composed,” one fan said.
Someone else commented: “Zirkzee feels like a Berbatov kind of player. He will frustrate fans who are used to rating players by passion and work rate but his elegance will shine through.”
Another posted: “Zirkzee is going to frustrate at times because he’s got that languid, almost Berbatov way of moving around the pitch… He covers [the] ground deceptively quickly, though. Hopefully, he uses his physicality too because we’ve lacked that.”
“Joshua Zirkzee kinda reminds me of early Berbatov. Good creator, [a] great first touch. Could be fun as a [second] option up front,” a fourth added.
While a fifth tweeted: “Zirkzee’s composure upfront is the best. He reminds me of Berbatov.”
And a sixth tweeted: “Zirkzee’s movement before that goal and the touch of that goal reminded me of Berbatov.”
“Zirkzee reminds me of Berbatov, very slick on the ball,” somebody else wrote.
An eighth X user suggested: “Berbatov should love the way Zirkzee plays. Silky touches, loads of movement and involvement in general play just like him.”
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
