Fabrizio Romano says 24-yo United attacker is wanted by PL clubs, he’s open to leaving

Joshua Zirkzee arrived at Manchester United in 2024 as one of the most exciting strikers in Europe but is now a forgotten man at Old Trafford. The Red Devils reportedly agreed a £36.5 million deal with Bologna for the Dutchman’s signature, but he has hardly justified the price tag. Brought in to add more competition for Rasmus Hojlund, Zirkzee struggled with form and fitness and ended his debut campaign with just seven goals and three assists in 49 appearances across competitions. United ended the campaign in 15th place in the Premier League, managing just 44 goals in 38 league games. The English giants were eager to address their goalscoring woes over the summer and signed Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig to strengthen their No. 9 position. Hojlund was sent out on a season-long loan to Napoli, who have an obligation to sign him permanently this summer. Zirkzee ended up staying at the Theatre of Dreams but has hardly done anything of note so far this season. Zirkzee’s season so far Zirkzee dropped further down the pecking order this season following the summer’s reinforcements, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha also added to United’s arsenal. The Dutchman’s first start came in the 3-2 win against Burnley, where he failed to find the back of the net. Zirkzee has registered just two goals and one assist in 20 appearances across competitions for the Red Devils this campaign, only four of which have been starts. Joshua Zirkzee Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsSecond Yellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League184211–510′ FA Cup10—–28′ EFL Cup10–1–8′ Total204212–546′ Source: Transfermarkt. Zirkzee was heavily linked with an exit in January but, while he ended up staying, his situation has failed to improve under caretaker manager Michael Carrick. The Dutchman is yet to start a game under the Englishman and has registered just 28 minutes of football in four appearances. The 24 year old is understandably frustrated by the situation and his future remains subject to speculation ahead of the summer. Zirkzee already remains heavily linked with a return to Italy, and acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on the situation. Zirkzee wanted in the Premier League Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that several Premier League clubs have already enquired about Zirkzee. He said: “I can guarantee you guys that the desire of Joshua Zirkzee is to change [clubs] in the summer transfer window. Joshua Zirkzee would welcome a transfer out of Manchester United in the summer transfer window.” “From now to the end of the season, Zirkzee will stay as a top professional, super focused on helping Manchester United, on doing his best for Man United as he always did, but then in the summer, he’s expected to leave.” “There is interest from the Premier League. There are some Premier League clubs already calling to understand if there is a chance to sign Joshua Zirkzee in the summer transfer window, but also Italian clubs.” Final Thoughts Zirkzee has shown flashes of brilliance since his arrival at the Theatre of Dreams but has largely been a shadow of the player who caught the eye with Bologna a few seasons ago. With the likes of Chido Obi pushing for a place in the first team, perhaps United will be tempted to let him leave for a proper fee this summer. 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 Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.