MU admits mistake in Zirkzee case

Manchester United's executive team admit signing Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna last summer for £36.5m may have been a strategic mistake.

The "sacrifice" of Zirkzee may have been part of Amorim's reconstruction strategy.

According to The Times , head coach Ruben Amorim does not consider Zirkzee to be an ideal striker (number 9) for MU, when assessing and the player lacks the necessary strength to lead the attack. This led to the Dutch player being left out of the squad.

Zirkzee, 24, was once expected to be the first smart signing under INEOS – the group that took over the Red Devils’ football division last year. He made an impressive start with a late winner against Fulham on his Premier League debut. However, Zirkzee’s form quickly declined.

Since the beginning of the season, he has played only a few times, often sitting on the bench and has not had the opportunity to show his true value. This has made the Manchester United leadership start to "regret". Coach Amorim, who took over the hot seat from November 2024, has tested Zirkzee in the attacking midfielder position instead of the center forward, and he has shown signs of improvement with his dribbling ability and creative moments.

However, the Portuguese coach is adamant that Zirkzee is not suited to the role of leading the attack in his signature 3-4-2-1 formation, and Zirkzee himself is extremely frustrated with his current situation. The Dutchman sees a January transfer window as “absolutely necessary” if he is to regain his chance of being in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup.

West Ham United are leading the race with a loan offer until the end of the season, followed by AS Roma and several other Italian clubs. Juventus were interested but have since withdrawn.

Source: https://znews.vn/mu-nhan-sai-trong-vu-zirkzee-post1596455.html