Fiorentina Pursues Zirkzee Amid Kean Exit
Fiorentina’s search for a new centre-forward has taken them to Old Trafford. With Moise Kean on the verge of joining Como, La Viola are scrambling for a replacement, and Joshua Zirkzee has surged to the top of their wishlist.
The problem is the price.
Zirkzee tops Fiorentina list – but at a cost
Fiorentina have been tracking two main options: Beto and Zirkzee. The hierarchy in Florence is clear – Zirkzee is viewed as the more attractive profile, younger and with a higher ceiling – but the numbers are already threatening to shut the door.
Reports relayed by Sport Witness claim Manchester United are demanding in the region of £25–30 million for the Dutch forward. For Fiorentina, that figure is heavy, especially when weighed against the alternative.
Beto is expected to be available for around £21.4–25m, and his wage demands are significantly lower. On pure economics, the Portuguese striker fits the club’s model far better.
On output, the comparison is intriguing rather than decisive. Beto, three years older than Zirkzee, has produced 20 goals and one assist in 98 Premier League appearances. Zirkzee, who only arrived in England in 2024, has five goals and three assists from 56 games. One offers volume and experience, the other promise and versatility.
For a club that must constantly balance ambition with budget, the equation is brutal.
United role shrinking as options stack up
Zirkzee’s situation at Manchester United is doing nothing to cool the speculation. Michael Carrick left him out of the squad for United’s Premier League opener away to Hull City last Saturday, a decision that only sharpened focus on his future.
The forward has already endured a heavily reduced role over the past year, a spell made even more frustrating by United’s absence from European competition and early exits from the domestic cups. There simply have not been enough minutes to go around.
Champions League qualification changes the landscape slightly. More games mean more rotation, more chances. Yet even that comes with a catch. Marcus Rashford has been reintegrated and can operate across the entire frontline, adding another obstacle between Zirkzee and a regular starting berth.
He is waiting for something concrete. A proposal that offers not just a transfer fee, but a role.
Juventus lurking as Fiorentina weigh up their move
Fiorentina’s calculations are complicated by the presence of a heavyweight rival. Serie A opponents Juventus are also keen to bring Zirkzee back to Italy after his successful two-year spell with Bologna.
Crucially, the player has already informed the Bianconeri that he would be open to joining them. That knowledge hangs over Fiorentina’s pursuit. Any delay, any hesitation over the fee or wage structure, risks leaving them as bystanders while a direct rival strengthens.
For now, La Viola stand at a crossroads. Pay up for their preferred option and stretch the budget, or move for the cheaper, more straightforward deal in Beto. With Kean heading for Como and the transfer window ticking down, their next decision will say a lot about how boldly they intend to attack this season.
