Manchester United’s £42.5 million striker pressures Amrabat: play me more or I’ll leave in January! Possible swap with Juventus’ striker

Manchester United backup striker Joshua Zirkzee has informed head coach Rúben Amrabat that if he doesn’t receive more playing time soon, he will seek a transfer in the January window. The 24-year-old Dutch international has yet to start a match this season and was consequently left out of the Netherlands squad for the recent international break.

Ronald Koeman excluded both Zirkzee and De Ligt from the Netherlands squad, with the official explanation given for De Ligt’s omission. De Ligt, a key center-back for Manchester United this season, has played every minute of all matches. Naturally, he asked for the reason behind his exclusion. Koeman explained: “Sometimes choosing players is a headache because I have to leave out some defenders. That’s the least enjoyable part of my job. I often talk with Matthijs (De Ligt), who is open to feedback and eager to improve.”

As for Zirkzee’s exclusion, Koeman barely needed to explain since it’s clear that the lack of playing time is the reason. “Zirkzee? He hasn’t played much at all recently. If you’re part of the Dutch team, you must have good match rhythm.”

With the World Cup approaching next year, Zirkzee is eager to get more minutes on the pitch. However, this is unlikely to happen at Manchester United. Last season, Zirkzee featured 32 times in the Premier League and 49 times across all competitions, but he won’t reach those numbers this season. After shedding the “sluggish” label last season under adversity, it seems hard to repeat that feat now. Following United’s €85 million signing of Šeško, the 22-year-old Slovenian striker is guaranteed the starting number 9 spot, and Zirkzee may not even be the first-choice backup.

This is unsurprising, as Zirkzee scored only 3 goals in the Premier League last season. Since suffering a hamstring injury in April against Newcastle, Amrabat has hardly used him. He has had just three substitute appearances and wasn’t even selected to start in the League Cup match against League Two side Grimsby.

Having earned six caps for the Netherlands, Zirkzee naturally doesn’t want to miss out on next summer’s major tournament. He feels puzzled by his current situation, having zero starts so far, which deeply worries him about missing the World Cup. Disappointed, he believes only a transfer can revive his career. The arrivals of Šeško, Mbemou, and Cunha mean his chances are limited, especially as United only compete in the Premier League and FA Cup this season.

During the summer transfer window, Manchester United did not accept any offers for Zirkzee, opting instead to loan out Højlund. It is reported that Napoli initially wanted Zirkzee but eventually took Højlund on loan. Now, Zirkzee might push for a move in January, and he has several options to consider.

Interested clubs include Italy’s Juventus, AC Milan, and Como; England’s West Ham United and Everton; as well as the Netherlands’ PSV Eindhoven. Zirkzee’s contract with Manchester United runs until 2029, with the club holding an option to extend it by an additional year.

Amrabat may want to keep a backup striker, so if Zirkzee departs, rumors suggest United could consider swapping him for Juventus’ Vlahović. The 25-year-old Serbian striker’s contract expires next summer, and Juventus would be willing to sell him in the winter window to avoid losing him on a free transfer.

Vlahović has scored 4 goals in 8 appearances for Juventus this season, boasting a better scoring rate than Zirkzee, but his weekly wage close to £400,000 poses the biggest hurdle for any potential transfer.