Romelu Lukaku could hold the key to Manchester United’s £34 million transfer

Romelu Lukaku could be the man who helps Manchester United secure the £34 million transfer of Joshua Zirkzee this summer.

Rasmus Højlund‘s first season at Manchester United was a blend of highs and lows, featuring standout goals but also periods of inconsistency. He finished the campaign as the club’s top scorer, amassing 16 goals in all competitions, including five in the Champions League, and played a vital role in their winning FA Cup run.

His recent performances bode well for the upcoming 2024 European Championships, where he will represent Denmark. At just 21 years old and under considerable pressure to perform, Højlund proved his worth and justified the £72 million fee United paid to Atalanta for his services.

Read More: Roy Keane agrees with Gary Neville about his Kobbie Mainoo admission for England

However, United have decided that the best course of action for the future is to bring in some young competition to help push Højlund and grow the team, and have seemingly set their eyes on Josha Zirkzee this window.

Manchester United and AC Milan seem to be competing to sign the 23-year-old Dutch international to strengthen their attacking options, but the latest update shows that Romelu Lukaku could swing the deal in United’s favour.

Lukaku played 96 times for United during the earlier years of his career, scoring 42 goals and providing 12 assists, but he ultimately lost his place under Ole Gunnar Solskjær after Jose Mourinho signed him in 2017.

According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, AC Milan have now turned their attention away from Zirkzee and on to Lukaku.

It is said that he is now one of the “main options” that Milan’s management are now working on, although it is a deviation from their usual strategy of buying younger talent to then develop at the San Siro.

AC Milan want to try and convince Chelsea, who is still his parent club, that a loan deal with a possible purchase option is the way forward. With Milan ready to “welcome” him, he could play a key role in United’s purchase of Zirkzee as he would eliminate their most fierce competition.

Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is released every Thursday at 6 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.