Van Nistelrooy makes Man Utd return for ONE player in bid to avoid Depay fate

Robin Bairner

11 Jul 2024 10:00 BST
2 min read

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been appointed by Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag specifically to work with Joshua Zirkzee, according to reports in Italy.

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Although Zirkzee has not signed for Man Utd yet, his transfer from Bologna is said to be well on the way to being completed.

The Netherlands international has already agreed terms with the Old Trafford club and is expected to complete a transfer that is valued upwards of €40 million. All that is left to be decided in the deal is the structure of the payments, which will affect the player’s cost.

Man Utd, meanwhile, are eager for him to follow in the footsteps of Robin van Persie or Van Nistelrooy by becoming a goal scoring hero at Old Trafford, but Tuttosport indicates that the Red Devils also have doubts over one particular aspect of his game, which could lead him to become a flop like Memphis Depay or Wout Weghorst.

“If there is one aspect in which he needs to improve, as he admitted himself, it is his composure in front of goal,” the Italian paper warns. “This is a problem that could lead him to be yet another Manchester United flop.”

Tuttosport explains that Man Utd asked Van Nistelrooy to return to the club specifically to aid Zirkzee’s scoring power.

The former striker, who shone with the Red Devils and Real Madrid, has been brought in to work with the offensive department and is said to be a “fundamental” signing to get the best from his 23-year-old compatriot.

When will Zirkzee sign for Man Utd?

With the Netherlands knocked out of Euro 2024 by England in the semi-final of the competition, the deal is expected to gather pace in the days ahead.

United and Bologna have been in talks over the structure of the transfer, and with Zirkzee possessing a €40m release clause, the Premier League giants will have the possibility of triggering a deal simply by paying this fee.

With Zirkzee already having had agreed terms with Man Utd, this deal could move forward very fast and is likely to be the first of the INEOS era.