If Joshua Zirkzee leaves Manchester United in January next year, he will officially end his disappointing time in the Premier League. It has been nearly 12 months since the Dutchman last scored in the tournament, before he shined with a goal at Selhurst Park.
Zirkzee, a £34m signing from Bologna in the final months of Erik ten Hag's tenure, has had very few opportunities to play this season. The club's £200 million spending on attacking talent in the summer - combined with Mason Mount returning to full fitness - has seen him drop to second place under Ruben Amorim.
The Dutch striker could have left last summer if he had found a team that met Man United's demands before Napoli's deal with Rasmus Hojlund came true.
With Benjamin Sesko becoming the first choice in attack and Matheus Cunha also being given priority by Amorim for the number 9 position, Zirkzee is eager to leave Man United to play more regularly. He needs to play regularly if he wants to be in the Dutch squad for the 2026 World Cup, and is receiving attention from Italy, especially AS Roma.
In fact, Zirkzee has only played at Selhurst Park because both Sesko and Cunha are absent, and Amorim also prioritizes Mbeumo playing on the right wing rather than as a striker. This is an impressive comeback that few people expected when Amorim was ready for him to leave if there was a reasonable deal.
Zirkzee proved his worth with an excellent performance in the second half. The striker's 54th-minute goal helped the "Red Devils" equalize after Jean- Philippe Mateta's goal, before Mason Mount sealed the victory.
All came after a difficult first half, when Zirkzee and the entire Man United team were slow. During the break, there were harsh exchanges in the dressing room, and Zirkzee "responsive" Amorim in accordance with his own style and wishes.
"Scoring is important, but it's not just about goals. The goals brought confidence, but Joshua also significantly improved his ball handling ability. This will give him a lot more confidence.
He has a direct impact on the game, and that is extremely important for us. Joshua needs to maintain this form in his daily training sessions," Amorim said of Zirkzee's performance.
Man United captain Bruno Fernandes also expressed his satisfaction with Zirkzee's performance and stressed that the Dutch striker could bring much-needed strength to the "Red Devils" this December.
" Obviously, scoring is very important for any player. The strikers all want to score and want to have chances, but that's not the problem. Joshua has contributed a lot to the team even when he has not scored yet.
Of course, we are happy because this will help him be more confident, try harder and create more scoring opportunities. And he has the potential to do that," said the Portuguese midfielder.
Man United and Amorim may see Zirkzee as one of the key players in the coming weeks, but when the January transfer window opens, he will face the risk of being left out of the plan.
