Recent reports state that Italian giants Roma are prioritising the signing of a Manchester United star attacker for the January window.
Manchester United currently sit in sixth in the Premier League following a 4-4 draw with Bournemouth at Old Trafford. Rúben Amorim will be looking towards the January transfer window to make some adjustments to the squad.
United are set to face Aston Villa and Newcastle United before the new year, which will be key games in their race for European football for next season. United will also face Manchester City and Arsenal in January. Amorim may see the January transfer window as a way to improve the squad in preparation for these games.
The AFCON departures of Amad and Bryan Mbeumo may give opportunities to players to show their worth before the window opens as Amorim looks to rotate the squad. With Casemiro suspended for the Villa game, Kobbie Mainoo may be handed his first start of the season, distancing the rumours of a loan move away.
United have been linked to moves for a number of young Premier League midfielders, including Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. These moves aren’t likely to happen until the opening of the summer transfer window, however, due to the Premier League’s competitive nature.
Roma see Zirkzee as ‘number one target’
Joshua Zirkzee joined United from Bologna in the Serie A in the 2024 summer transfer window. The Dutchman has gone on to make 59 appearances for the club.
Gianluca Di Marzio has now reported that Roma are increasingly interested in the striker.
Roma have struggled with their attack this season, with just sixteen goals in fifteen games in the Serie A and rumours of star striker, Artem Dovbyk, looking at a move away have caused the club to look elsewhere to improve their squad.
Di Marzio spoke on Roma’s interest in Zirkzee, saying: “Roma would also be willing to wait until around January 18th/20th to wait for the possible green light. Just on the 18th, in fact, there will be the African Cup of Nations final and the consequent return of the players employed and United until that moment could be without Mbeumo.”
Zirkzee is described as Roma’s “number one target” and has “all eyes on him” as Roma look towards the move. The former Bologna striker may feel comfortable with this move away, being familiar with the play style of the Serie A and see this as an opportunity to become a regular starter at a club once again.
Roma looking towards loan
Di Marzio spoke on the possibility of a loan move instead of a permanent transfer, saying: “The ideal operation for the Giallorossi would be based on a loan with a right of redemption, which could also become an obligation to facilitate negotiations. The club is strongly focused on the player, also considering that the Dutchman continues to do a lot of bench.”
This would give Zirkzee the opportunity to improve his form with more game time in a top league, along with matches in the Europa League. Then, when Zirkzee returns, he can fight for his place in the squad over that of Benjamin Šeško.
Di Marzio also describes how the move could give Zirkzee the opportunity to return to the Netherlands squad in time for the 2026 World Cup: “Eyes especially on Zirkzee, so Roma can and wants to wait for the opening of United. An opportunity certainly also for the Dutchman, who would like to find more minutes than he is doing with Amorim, in view of the 2026 World Cup.”
This would be hugely important to Zirkzee, who featured throughout the 2024 Euros and Nations League for the Netherlands, but is yet to return to international duty in 2025. Playing on the world’s biggest stage may also open further opportunities in his career.
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