Joshua Zirkzee: Juventus Eyes Manchester United Forward After Kolo Muani Deal Collapse

Joshua Zirkzee has slipped down the Manchester United hierarchy – and Juventus are ready to pounce.

The Dutch forward, limited to just five Premier League starts under Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick last season, has emerged as a leading option for the Italian giants after their move for Randal Kolo Muani broke down.

Juve switch targets after Kolo Muani collapse

Juventus had been deep in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over Kolo Muani following the France international’s underwhelming loan spell at Tottenham. A deal looked within reach. Then the negotiations dragged, the fee became a sticking point, and patience in Turin snapped.

With the clock ticking on their rebuild up front, Juve’s recruitment team turned sharply toward Zirkzee. They want him on loan with a £30million option to buy – a package Manchester United are prepared to accept despite paying around £36.5m for him in 2024.

The logic at Old Trafford is blunt. Nine goals in 75 appearances is not the return they expected, and club officials now view the proposed fee as a realistic reflection of his current value.

A No9 vacancy in Turin

The need in Turin is obvious. Dusan Vlahovic has departed on a free transfer, Jonathan David has struggled to impose himself with just six goals in 35 Serie A outings last season, and Juventus are short of a reliable focal point.

They see Zirkzee as that project striker – a technical No9 who can link play, drop off the line and still threaten in the box. The interest is serious. Roma have monitored him for a long time, but Juventus have moved with greater urgency and now sit in pole position.

Zirkzee is open to it. More than that, he is keen on the Allianz Stadium as his next stage.

Serie A, again – and by choice

This would not be a leap into the unknown. Zirkzee knows Serie A, and it knows him. He spent a season on loan at Parma and then two years at Bologna, learning the league’s tactical demands and its slower, more calculated rhythm.

That experience matters. He believes the Italian top flight suits his style far better than the Premier League, where he has struggled for rhythm and confidence at United. The pecking order at Old Trafford tells its own story: Benjamin Sesko and Mateus Cunha are ahead of him, and Marcus Rashford could yet return to the fold this season.

In that context, a move is not just attractive – it looks necessary.

United ready to cut loose

SunSport understands Zirkzee’s representatives have already responded positively to Juventus’ approach. The structure is clear: a loan now, a £30m option later, and a chance for the forward to rebuild his reputation in a league that suits him.

From United’s side, there is no resistance. They are ready to sanction a deal that gives them a clean exit route if he flourishes elsewhere, while clearing space in a crowded attacking department.

For Juventus, it is a gamble on potential rather than proven numbers. For Zirkzee, it is something else entirely – a shot at becoming the main man at a club that still expects its centre-forward to define seasons.