Man Utd’s first January deal gets GREEN LIGHT

Robin Bairner

• 11 Dec 2024 01:10 CST
• 3 min read

Joshua Zirkzee could be on his way out of Manchester United during the January transfer window, with a deal for the Netherlands international striker having already been given the green light.

Zirkzee arrived at Man Utd for €42.5 million during the summer transfer window after a successful stint in Bologna, but just three goals later, it appears that new head coach Ruben Amorim has made the decision to dump the 23-year-old.

Transfer interest has primarily come from Serie A. Juventus have been strongly linked with a move for the forward, with the possibility of a reunion with former Bologna coach Thiago Motta in Turin one that could prove mutually beneficial.

Current ETV

Joshua Zirkzee

F (C)

Man Utd

Joshua Zirkzee

F (C)

Man Utd

€37.8M

ETV Range

€28.3M - €47.2M

View full profile

Napoli, however, appear to be closing in on Zirkzee, with head coach Antonio Conte said to be hopeful of repeating the trick he managed in the summer, when he raided Man Utd for Scott McTominay in a deal that has worked out spectacularly for the Naples side.

Conte has already given his blessing to the move, according to Il Mattino (via CalcioNapoli24).

“The Napoli coach has given the green light for the arrival of Joshua Zirkzee in the January transfer window,” it reports. “The striker is not convincing at Manchester United and would be happy with a return to Italy after his excellent spell last season with Bologna.

“Conte already wanted Zirkzee last summer but the costs were prohibitive.”

Man Utd to use Zirkzee to land Osimhen?

Napoli are still getting to grips with their attack in the post-Victor Osimhen era. Romelu Lukaku has come under fire and there is a sense that they need more goal-scoring power.

Osimhen, for his part, is a player who is linked with Man Utd, with a possible January move certainly not ruled out, despite the Nigeria international happily scoring goals in Turkey for Galatasaray.

United could try to use Zirkzee as a makeweight in any deal to land Osimhen, although it is more probable that these would be two unique transactions.