Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee has reportedly ruled out an exit from Old Trafford in January with the 23-year-old instead keen to establish himself in Ruben Amorim’s starting eleven.
Gianluca Di Marzio, an Italian transfer expert, reveals the prospect of the Dutch international leaving United in the winter window has been “ruled out”. Instead, the reporter contends, Zirkzee is focused on “gaining [Amorim’s] confidence” as he hopes to turn around a disappointing start to life in Manchester.
Zirkzee joined United in the summer for £36.5 million from Bologna following a protracted pursuit of the striker which saw the Red Devils overtake AC Milan to secure his signature, as a host of clubs fought to sign the Serie A Young Player of the Year.
Old Trafford officials even agreed to pay slightly more than Zirkzee’s release clause (£34.4 million) with the Italian side to secure a more favourable payment structure. This helped United’s Financial Fair Play situation, enabling the club to spend more in the summer by spreading the more expensive fee over a longer period.
United were keen to add a versatile striker to their forward line with Zirkzee’s playmaking abilities and powerful frame offering a variety of options as an attacker.
And the 23-year-old began life at Old Trafford in spectacular fashion, coming off the bench in season opener against Fulham to win the game in the dying moments with a brilliantly taken goal.
However, things quickly soured for Zirkzee as the Dutchman struggled with the intensity of the Premier League, often looking short on ideas and fitness in equally disappointing fashion. The forward’s lackadaisical approach has annoyed fans while his poor finishing has ultimately cost United crucial points in the league.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Zirkzee’s initial impression in England is how little he is able to utilise his imposing stature. The 23-year-old stands a broad 6’4 yet is often overpowered by opposition defenders and offers next to nothing in the air.
Sources at the club have suggested senior executives are concerned Zirkzee is “not good enough” with a number of reports linking the struggling striker with a return to Italy as soon as January, only six months into his career at Old Trafford.
However, Di Marzio has rejected these reports, instead suggesting the Dutch international is determined to turn around the situation at United by winning over Amorim, the club’s new head coach.
The 39-year-old took charge of his first game against Ipswich Town last Sunday and, despite a brilliant start, will have been left under no illusions of the size of the job on his hands, as he watched the Tractor Boys thoroughly outplay his new side.
Zirkzee came off the bench during the 1-1 draw but, as United fans have grown to expect, offered nothing of value, on or off the ball. Amorim even name checked the 23-year-old in a post-match interview, revealing Zirkzee has “to understand that he has to go to the box to have the crosses.”
It was not a promising start to Zirkzee’s campaign to win Amorim’s “confidence”, but with the sheer number of games on the horizon over the Christmas period, the Dutch international will get many more opportunities to endear himself to his new manager before the January transfer window opens.
Featured image Burak Kara via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
