Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee has been linked with a transfer away from Old Trafford ahead of the January window but wants to stay and fight for his place
Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee has reportedly made it clear that he wants to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, despite ongoing reports linking him with a return to the Serie A. The Dutch international has scored just eight goals in 58 appearances for United since arriving from Bologna in the summer of 2024.
He’s fallen down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim following Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo’s arrival at the club. Zirkzee has been repeatedly linked with a return to Italy, with AS Roma the latest club said to be keen on his signature.
However, Sky Sports News claims Zirkzee wants to stay at Old Trafford and fight for his place, despite struggling for game time this season. The 24-year-old has scored just once in nine appearances this season and has spent the majority of his campaign sitting on the bench.
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However, recent injuries to Sesko and Cunha opened the door for Zirzkee to feature in Amorim’s starting XI. He started and scored in the comeback win at Crystal Palace, his first goal in the Premier League for United this season.
It was after that win, former Premier League striker Troy Deeney revealed he thinks he’d do a better job than Zirkzee, despite being retired for two years. Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “It’s really poor again from Zirkzee.
“I’ve been retired for two years – Man United give me six weeks and a third of what he’s doing and I’m probably sure I can do better.
“It is embarrassing watching him play at this moment in time. He just looks like a lost soul, an absolute lost soul.”
Nevertheless, that goal at Palace took Deeney by surprise and said: “He’s got no right to score that. I’m questioning the ‘keeper, but it’s a wonderful finish. We’ve been giving him grief, and rightly so, but that’s a massive moment in his career.
“I’m flabbergasted that he’s done that. It’s not even the fact that he scored the goal, it’s the fact he’s shown you nothing in this game so far that you would even get a shot off.
“But to even have that level of self-assuredness to even take the shot. The confidence of it is frightening.”
The United boss was also full of praise for how Zirkzee took his goal against the Eagles. Amorim said: “It’s so important for the strikers to score goals. He’s not playing many minutes but the way he responds in the second-half is so important.
“It is more important than just the goals. Again, the small details, win the first ball so we can win the second ball, the connection, that is so important for our game. And the goal is really important for us and for him.”
Zirkzee started the following match against West Ham United before coming on a substitute in the win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. He is under contract with the Red Devils until 2029.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
