Juventus inquires about Zirkzee; Manchester United demands €40 million but does not force a transfer. The player wants to stay and serve as a backup.

Per Italian sources, Juventus have contacted Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee. As the Serie A club continues talks with PSG over a permanent deal for Randal Kolo Muani, they are simultaneously exploring other options, and Zirkzee is on their list.

As is widely known, since his €42.5 million (£36 million) move to Manchester United in 2024, Zirkzee has struggled to find consistency in the Premier League, scoring only five goals in 56 appearances. There have long been rumors that he might return to Italy, where he tends to perform better in a slower-paced league.

According to *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, Juventus CEO Giovanni Carnevali and sporting director Marco Ottilini are actively working to find a replacement for Dusan Vlahovic, who has left after his contract expired. The Bianconeri hope to sign Kolo Muani permanently from PSG, but their €40 million (£34 million) offer has not yet been accepted, with Paris seeking €50 million (£42.5 million).

As a result, Juventus have inquired about the possibility of signing Zirkzee and the terms of a deal. Manchester United hope to receive between €35 million and €40 million (£30 million to £34 million) for the Dutchman, which would be cheaper than Kolo Muani. However, Juventus still consider that price too high. Zirkzee's current market value on Transfermarkt is €20 million.

It is reported that Juventus have also contacted Zirkzee via text messages, phone calls, and video calls. The 24-year-old Dutchman intends to remain at Manchester United beyond this summer. His agent's team does not believe the club will sign a new striker, and with the team set to play in the Champions League next season, they expect his playing time to increase significantly compared to last season.

Now that Šeško is injured, Zirkzee has the opportunity to prove himself to manager Carrick during pre-season. Manchester United are open to listening to offers but will not force Zirkzee to leave, as they feel he is well-liked in the dressing room and among fans, and forcing a sale could have negative repercussions.

If Manchester United do not sell Zirkzee, then Sir Jim Ratcliffe's team will have failed to offload any of the players they intended to sell this summer. United have already let Højlund go, which was a pre-agreed loan deal with Napoli from last summer, while Casemiro, Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia left as their contracts expired. André Onana's loan to Trabzonspor in Turkey was extended, without a buy option, meaning he will definitely return next year.

The players on the club's sale list—Zirkzee, Ugarte, and Rashford—have not left yet, and it is possible none of them will. Ugarte underwent knee cruciate ligament surgery and is out for the season, making a summer transfer 100% impossible. Rashford is on holiday after the World Cup and is only willing to move to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, or PSG, so the likelihood of him staying at Manchester United is extremely high.

Under Ratcliffe, Manchester United may have made slight progress in transfer signings, especially in controlling the weekly wages of new arrivals. However, when it comes to player sales, the Red Devils are still very ineffective, indecisive, and inefficient. They have not sold a single player so far, which is far from satisfactory.

The Manchester United owners have recently faced renewed fan anger. Thousands of season-ticket holders have had their accounts restricted, preventing them from renewing or transferring tickets, and have been accused of violating ticket terms, with some facing the risk of having their season tickets revoked. Fans are furious, insisting that most of them have done nothing wrong. Andy, a season-ticket holder of over 35 years, vented on BBC: "They took my money for the tickets, but now they restrict my account. Loyal fans are being punished because the board doesn't want fans—they want customers."