Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee faces an uncertain future over the next month with the transfer window open.
A difficult start to the season for Joshua Zirkzee hit a low point at the end of 2024 when he was substituted after just 32 minutes.
With Manchester United lacking a prolific centre-forward and new head coach Ruben Amorim surely desiring his own hand-picked players, Zirkzee faces an uncertain future.
United need funds and Zirkzee has been connected in a possible swap deal with Juventus for Dusan Vlahovic.
Zirkzee’s Juventus connection
Joshua Zirkzee’s stock in Italy is high after he won Serie A’s young player of the year award, and ever since September, links with Juventus have been bubbling away.
There is a natural connection there due to Juventus hiring Thiago Motta as manager, who coached Zirkzee at Bologna last season.
Former Juventus striker Marco Borriello has been reacting to the speculation on behalf of Tuttosport, and he admits that while there is logic behind it, he’s unconvinced by the Dutchman’s scoring ability.
Borriello said: “I read that Juventus is interested in Zirkzee. Of course, he is a different player who perhaps fits better with Thiago Motta’s game, but then he scores nine goals in total.”
This season at Manchester United, Zirkzee has played some nice football at times, at other less so, and you can forgive the unimpressive games if he is productive. He hasn’t been.
Zirkzee has managed to score only four goals this season, while providing just the one assist. It’s a disappointing return, and the scrutiny won’t be any lesser at Juventus.
United fans hold the same reservations over Zirkzee, wondering quite simply whether he can ever score enough goals to be the answer.
Borriello questions over Dusan Vlahovic too
Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic is the name linked with going the other way. He has not quite hit expectations at Juventus since his big move from Fiorentina, where he was tasked with replacing Cristiano Ronaldo.
Vlahovic is ready to move on for a new challenge – although he has been criticised recently by former Ialy striker Antonio Cassano, who has questioned his big game mentality.
Borriello has concerns too, also alluding the pressure Vlahovic faces, which would also be a big problem for him at Manchester United.
He said: “Vlahovic has problems with pressure, character. Playing for Juventus is not easy, they have fans used to winning with a great history. You see that he is nervous, he implodes, then in the end he has to be calmer. I would advise him to do a bit of yoga, it helps a lot.
“One says “but why sometimes he can’t stop the ball and on other occasions he scores wonderful goals?”.
“The answer lies precisely in the calmness with which he is able to play. He has to work on his character.”
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