Manchester United fringe player becomes hot commodity! Three Serie A clubs compete, left-back top target emerges

In addition to continuing to strengthen weak positions in the squad, Manchester United are also looking for opportunities to sell players to raise funds. Currently, the top name on the selling list is Zirkzee.

According to i Paper, Manchester United's stance on Zirkzee has softened. Juventus, Roma, and Como—three Serie A clubs—are all vying to bring the 25-year-old Dutch striker back to Italy.

In the summer of 2024, Manchester United spent £36.5 million (approximately €42.5 million) to sign Zirkzee from Bologna. Two seasons later, he has 75 appearances, 9 goals, and 4 assists. In the Premier League, he has 56 appearances and 5 goals. In the 2025-26 season, he made 24 appearances, only 5 of which were starts, scoring 2 goals.

After Carrick took over in January this year, Zirkzee only got one start, in a 0-0 draw against Sunderland. In the latter part of the season, he was basically a regular on the bench, reduced to a fringe player.

Standing at 1.93m tall, he has won 40 out of 101 one-on-one duels in the Premier League, a success rate not too bad. But if a center-forward only knows how to drop deep and link play, but cannot hold off defenders in the box as a target man and cannot score, then he really has no place in this Manchester United team. Zirkzee himself has said he is a "9.5," not a pure center-forward, and is better at dropping deep to receive the ball.

Among these three Serie A clubs, Juventus is currently in the leading position, with the strongest interest.

Because Juventus's Chief Football Officer, Massara, is a big admirer of Zirkzee. Back in January, when he was at Roma, he almost signed him. Now at Juventus, he continues to see Zirkzee as a target for the forward line.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Manchester United's valuation of Zirkzee is between €35 million and €40 million. United are willing to accept a loan, but only if the contract includes a mandatory buyout clause in the summer of 2027.

Juventus want a different option: a loan with an option to buy, or a mandatory buyout tied to specific conditions.

Simply put: United want to offload a burden, while Juventus want to test the goods first.

Roma have been long-term admirers of Zirkzee, having considered signing him back in January. Como are a dark horse; they finished 4th in Serie A last season and earned a Champions League spot, which in itself is a significant attraction.

Since Ratcliffe took over Manchester United, he has been determined to turn over a new leaf and change the club's previous image as a sucker in the transfer market. After spending £85 million on signing Andre Santos and Tielemans in succession, they still need to find a third defensive midfielder, a left-back, and a winger. The current transfer funds are quite tight.

Sesko is still in the recovery phase and may miss the start of the season. Manchester United urgently need another striker who can consistently score goals. Rashford can play as a center-forward, and so can Mbeumo and Cunha, but all three are originally wingers.

Sources reveal that if Zirkzee leaves, Manchester United will use the remaining funds after the midfield and full-back signings to find a replacement. There have been rumors about Club Brugge's 21-year-old striker Tresor, but no further action has been taken yet because the prospect of Zirkzee's departure remains unclear

If he does leave, United might bring in an experienced striker on a short-term deal, similar to the role Weghorst played during his loan a few years ago.

35-year-old former Red Devil Welbeck would have been a good option, but United's hierarchy has little interest, and the player is about to join Chelsea. Vlahovic is also on the rumor list, currently a free agent, but no further moves have been made. Watkins is another long-term target for United, but Aston Villa is unlikely to let him go at a price United is willing to pay.

Apart from a striker, Manchester United are almost certain to sign another No.6 midfielder. Roma's Kone and Brighton's Baleba are the names most frequently mentioned in rumors, with the management believing their transfer fees are relatively reasonable. Bournemouth's Tyler Adams might be a more achievable target. As for Tchouaméni, it's simply unrealistic.

At left-back, Manchester United have strong interest in Newcastle's Lewis Hall. A source close to the player reveals that Hall himself is willing to move to Old Trafford, but negotiations have not yet begun.

That's basically the current situation for Manchester United this summer. After quickly completing two blockbuster deals, things have stalled. Hampered by the slow progress in player sales, they are also struggling to make progress in signings.