Amorim must keep this player at United at all costs despite heated January transfer race – opinion

Manchester United appear to be back in business following an emphatic 2-1 triumph over Crystal Palace away from home. While any win away at a strong team like Palace is admirable, what makes this specific victory all the more impressive is that Man United were without several players due to injury. Arguably, the most notable absence was frontman Benjamin Sesko, who is unavailable due to a knee injury. In stepped Joshua Zirkzee, who lacked game time leading up to the match but nonetheless needed to fill Sesko’s shoes in order to help United pull off the victory. Getting back into the swing of things Prior to Sesko’s injury, Zirkzee had not started a single Premier League match all season, yet suddenly, he was thrown into the spotlight. Understandably, Zirkzee struggled to perform during the 1-0 loss to Everton, especially given his lack of minutes leading up to the match. In the Palace game, however, he did well to shake off any doubt that he may have had in himself following his poor performance in the previous match. Most notably, he scored a stunning goal to open the scoring for United and pave the way to their 2-1 win. While the jury is still out on whether or not Zirkzee is the right kind of player for United, several clubs seem interested in acquiring his talent. AS Roma have emerged as an interested party. Still, United manager Ruben Amorim should keep Zirkzee at Old Trafford despite such interest for two key reasons. Why Zirkzee must say What was abundantly clear from Zirkzee’s wonderous strike against Palace is his remarkable shooting ability when he does manage to rise up to the occasion. He also showed this prowess when scoring a screamer against Lyon in the Europa League last season. Such moments showed glimpses of Zirkzee’s potential, even if he hasn’t quite reached it in a United jersey. In fact, club legend Lee Sharpe agrees with this sentiment, as he explained in an exclusive interview with The Peoples Person. Still, he has so far proven to be a threatening player, with a 4.82 xG in the Premier League last season, when he scored three goals in 32 matches. (Sofascore) Of course, Sesko has been more productive up front, scoring two goals in 11 appearances (Sofascore), but Zirkzee has been a constant threat in the box, getting into decent scoring positions. If Zirkzee is given more time on the pitch, perhaps he will be able to reach his full potential. The second reason to keep Zirkzee at United is that the club needs a backup striker, as Sesko’s injury proves. While Chido Obi is a promising young talent, he might not yet be ready to play at the summit of English football, given his tender age. Although the likes of Matheus Cunha can fill the role, he is an excellent ball carrier and would be better utilised as a number 10. Zirkzee really seems to be the most suitable member of the current squad to fill in during Sesko’s absence. Although United could search for a replacement striker in the January transfer window, this could prove to be a costly exercise, and it might also take a new striker some time to adjust to life at Old Trafford. Zirkzee requires no onboarding. While he is yet to hit top form, Zirkzee has exhibited moments of magic that indicate his untapped potential. If Amorim can draw this potential out of him, the Dutch forward could become a key player for years to come. Featured image Ion Alcoba Beitia 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 Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.