Manchester United’s summer transfer direction has welcomed Eli Junior Kroupi to the table, and it signals the arrival of the “Omar Berrada rule” for Joshua Zirkzee.
Everyone at Man Utd knows that defensive midfield is the area in need of urgent strengthening in the summer, and Elliot Anderson is the key target.
However, with Champions League football potentially next season, the attack could do with some depth, especially as the club sold multiple wingers for Ruben Amorim’s system.
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That has led United to Bournemouth’s electric winger-forward, Eli Junior Kroupi, and that interest doesn’t bode well for Joshua Zirkzee.
Man Utd’s interest in Eli Junior Kroupi
Junior Kroupi looks like the quintessential Ineos signing because he’s somewhat Premier League-proven (eight goals this season in 22 games), is just 19, and can play multiple positions.
He is a natural centre-forward, but can also play off the left, from where he can cut inside on his stronger right foot.
If Marcus Rashford’s race is run at Old Trafford, as is expected, then Junior Kroupi could be a nice squad addition for the long-term.
Bournemouth’s price tag will be one to watch since this is his first full season with The Cherries, but they got him from their sister club FC Lorient for cheap, so they can make a good profit on him regardless.
Junior Kroupi ticks all the boxes, and he also ticks the “Omar Berrada rule” box for Joshua Zirkzee, who is coming to the end of his second year at the club.
Joshua Zirkzee set to fall under Omar Berrada’s rule
Zirkzee can’t be written off as a complete failure at United, but he hasn’t pulled up any trees either.
He clearly remains an important member of the dressing room, and his professionalism means he’s always ready to make an impact off the bench.
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However, that’s not all you want from a player who, on paper at least, is your senior striker compared to Benjamin Sesko.
The upcoming summer will make it two years since he arrived at the club, and failing to convince entirely means he’s now failing Omar Berrada’s rule of squad planning.
Berrada, during his Man City days, was famous for saying that any new signing should be given two years to prove themselves worthy of staying.
The logic is that the first year is written off as a period of adaptation, but tangible growth needs to be visible thereafter.
That can’t be said about Zirkzee, and United’s interest in another forward, a Premier League-proven youngster no less, means that the club’s patience with Zirkzee is at a tipping point.
Don’t be surprised if he’s culled the moment United sign a new forward. It’s not a priority, but he looks firmly on the chopping block now.
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