Manchester United succumbed to their sixth defeat of this December on Monday as Newcastle ran out 2-0 winners at Old Trafford.
The hosts continue to languish in 14th position and are facing the very real threat of a relegation scrap. INEOS’ player recruitment has let Ruben Amorim down big time.
The Portuguese does not have the squad to play his way and his team selection against the Magpies did not help with Joshua Zirkzee struggling as one the No 10s and the head coach was forced to bring him off in the 33rd minute.
The Old Trafford crowd jeered as the 23-year-old went off and the crowd’s reaction might just be the final nail in the coffin in the Dutchman’s United career.
Brutal Amorim decision
Amorim could have chosen to take off Rasmus Hojlund as well but his decision to sub off the Netherlands international made it clear that he is not considered good enough for the Red Devils.
He has a mere four goals in 23 games and looks more of a link-up player than a ruthless finisher, which is something the head coach is desperate for currently.
United had to fight off interest from Juventus and AC Milan to land Zirkzee from Bologna and according to Teamtalk, the forward is eager to return to Italy to regain his “mental serenity”, something he lost in Manchester.
His agent was supposed to meet the United hierarchy and Amorim to discuss his future and the Newcastle decision once again proved his future might lie away from Old Trafford.
Thiago Motta, his former Bologna boss, is currently in charge of Juventus and he wants his former protege to join him while AC Milan also remain interested.
Interestingly, his former Serie A club have now joined the race and are even open to a short-term deal with Zirkzee also prioritising a return to Serie A.
Return to Bologna?
“Joshua Zirkzee is wanted by three clubs after deciding that his early substitution against Newcastle is evidence enough that he needs to leave Manchester United as soon as possible after being reduced to tears by Ruben Amorim.
“Two of those clubs exploring a potential deal are well documented with both Juventus and AC Milan among his suitors. However, new information received by TEAMtalk reveals that a return to former side Bologna is also a growing possibility.
“Despite being one step away from elimination in the Champions League, Bologna’s bid to re-sign the player – even on a short-term loan for the remainder of the season – is gaining momentum.”
With Marcus Rashford’s future also up in the air, whether United can afford to loan out Zirkzee as well without any significant incomings remains to be seen.
Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
