“I’d make the swap immediately”: Ex-England boss urges Euro giants to act fast for United star facing summer exit

Former England boss Fabio Capello has laid out a transfer demand to AC Milan regarding a summer swoop for Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee. Out of favour Although Zirkzee ended last season strongly, he has struggled this campaign, leaving his long-term future at the club very much in doubt heading into the summer transfer window. He found minutes extremely hard to come by under now-sacked head coach Ruben Amorim, and this trend has continued since Michael Carrick was named as the Portuguese’s replacement at the start of the year. Zirkzee has made 20 Premier League appearances so far, contributing two goals and one assist. He has been named in the starting XI just four times. The Dutchman has managed just 33 minutes of football in the games that Carrick has taken charge of. The strongest interest in Zirkzee appears to be coming from Italy, where he made his name while at Bologna. A report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that Juventus are eyeing the 24-year-old. AC Milan are also in the picture, and rumours that United are targeting Rafael Leao have fuelled suggestions that a swap deal could be a real possibility. Capello spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport and urged Milan to “immediately” take the deal, arguing that Zirkzee would be more of a natural fit under Massimiliano Allegri compared to Leao. Capello’s Zirkzee plea Capello told the newspaper, “If I were Milan, I’d make the swap immediately. I’d see the Dutchman as a much better fit in Max’s 3-5-2.” “Zirkzee is someone who gets the team playing and is very good at communicating with his teammates.” The 79-year-old added, “For me, the Zirkzee-Pulisic partnership would be brilliant.” “If Sorloth and either Gimenez or Nkunku were alternatives, one could say the attack is in good shape.” Zirkzee and United are next in action on Sunday when they host Liverpool. United need just two points from their remaining fixtures to mathematically secure Champions League football. Feature image Molly Darlington via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Latest Top Stories… Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!