Zirkzee has agreed to join Roma, with the club promising him a starting role! Manchester United is willing to sell if they sign Semenyo for £45 million.

Manchester United could allow striker Joshua Zirkzee to depart in the latter part of the January transfer window, with Italian transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano confirming that Roma has held in-depth discussions over personal terms and is close to finalizing the deal.

Roma is eager to complete the transfer quickly, but the final decision lies with Manchester United. The Red Devils prefer to delay because three players are away at the Africa Cup of Nations, and with Bruno Fernandes and Cody Gakpo injured, Amrabat’s midfield options are already stretched thin.

Romano explained: "Zirkzee is very open to joining Roma, and the club has promised him regular starts and guaranteed playing time every match. They have made substantial progress on the player side. Roma considers him their top target for January, and personal terms negotiations are well advanced. However, the deal still depends on Manchester United’s decision. Roma wants to finalize it soon, but United is cautious due to injuries and several players being absent for the Africa Cup of Nations."

Despite multiple absences, Zirkzee remained on the bench against Aston Villa after Sessegnon returned. Previously, Amrabat had opted for a strikerless formation, and the 24-year-old Dutch forward was also a substitute. Zirkzee started only three matches this season—against Everton, Crystal Palace, and West Ham. If he still expects a major change in his role in the second half of the season, he is either very optimistic or quite naive.

In reality, Zirkzee fully understands his situation: if he stays at Manchester United, he will mostly be a substitute and only get about ten to twenty minutes at the end of matches, as he did against Villa when he came on in the 73rd minute.

Coach Amrabat has clearly stated that he will rely more on the €85 million 22-year-old Slovenian international Sessegnon, as he is the true striker. "I think Sessegnon is a different kind of forward," Amrabat said. "He’s the only one for that position because Zirkzee is more of a hybrid between a number 9 and 10, somewhat like Cunha. Sessegnon enjoys staying in the box and makes many runs. You can see he still has a lot of potential. His physical condition is improving; although he was out for a month, he’s ready now and will help us."

Manchester United is attempting to sign Ghanaian forward Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth for a £65 million release clause. If successful, Zirkzee’s role would become even more redundant. Although Amrabat hopes Semenyo will play as a left wing-back, the player himself prefers to play as a winger, attacking midfielder, or striker—the same positions Zirkzee occupies.

Zirkzee joined Manchester United from Bologna in the summer of 2024 for a transfer fee of €42.5 million. He has never truly proven himself at United, scoring only seven goals in 49 appearances last season, showing poor scoring ability. This season, he has appeared 10 times but started just 3 matches, totaling 363 minutes on the pitch.

Although he has excellent ability to drop deep and link play, his slower technical style does not fit the Premier League’s demands. Returning to Serie A would be a better option for him. It is believed that Roma is exploring a loan deal with a mandatory purchase clause next summer, a structure that could appeal to both clubs. For Manchester United, cashing in now is wiser than keeping an expensive backup.

Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport revealed that Roma maintains daily contact with Zirkzee, aiming to bring him back to Serie A. The biggest obstacle now is financial: Manchester United insists on a loan deal including a mandatory purchase clause totaling €45 million. Although Zirkzee is Roma’s priority signing, Atletico Madrid’s Giacomo Raspadori is also mentioned. Manchester United may eventually lower their asking price slightly.

Another point of dissatisfaction for Roma’s sporting director, Ricky Massara, is that Manchester United has indicated they will not approve Zirkzee’s departure until mid-January at the earliest to ensure Amrabat has enough players available. Players returning from the Africa Cup of Nations will be back by January 18 at the latest, and by then Semenyo’s transfer fate should be clear, making Zirkzee’s future very definite.

The Manchester Evening News reports that the deal is not as close to completion as Italian media suggested in the past 24 hours, but Manchester United does have intentions to sell; they just need to wait for the right moment.