Joshua Zirkzee ‘would gladly go back to Italy’ after Man Utd struggles just months after transfer with Juventus keen
JOSHUA ZIRKZEE is open to moving back to Italy after a nightmare four months at Manchester United, according to reports.
The Dutchman’s agents have supposedly offered him to Juventus ahead of the January transfer window.
Zirkzee, 23, joined the Red Devils in a deal worth £36.5million in the summer.
But newspaper La Stampa claim he is already looking for a way out after struggling to adapt to the Premier League.
Zirkzee’s representatives have been in contact with Juventus as their manager is Thiago Motta.
The boss got the best out of him last season at Bologna, with him scoring 12 goals.
Zirkzee’s time at Man Utd started positively, scoring the winner just 26 minutes into his debut against Fulham on the first day of the season.
But the player has since struggled and it remains his only goal in 17 appearances.
SunSport exclusively revealed that sacked manager Erik ten Hag did not want to sign him and he was a stone overweight when he rocked up at his new club.
It took him a while to shift the unwanted timber and his former boss was unhappy about his fitness.
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Zirkzee was an Ineos buy as they identified the deal as good value for money.
But just months into his five-year contract, they could now let him go to potentially free up space to sign Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres at the end of the season.
New manager Ruben Amorim is reportedly keen on bringing the Swedish goal machine with him to Old Trafford.
But the transfer will not come cheap as the Portuguese giants are set to demand around £80m for the man with 23 goals in 18 games this term.
Three Sporting stars Amorim could swoop for after joining Man Utd
RUBEN AMORIM has ruled out poaching any of his Sporting Lisbon players in the January transfer window.
But the Portuguese side’s chiefs expect Amorim will come calling in the summer – with his cheque book wide open.
Here’s are three Sporting starts United could swoop for… but they won’t come cheap:
VIKTOR GYOKERES
Age: 26
Position: Striker
Cost: £84million
Swede has shone since joining Sporting last summer from Coventry — catching the eye of all Europe’s top clubs.
Hit 43 goals in 50 games last season and boasts 18 strikes already this term.
GONCALO INACIO
Age: 23
Position: Defender
Cost: £50million
Ball-playing centre-back was handed his debut by Amorim and has since become a key figure in Sporting’s recent title successes.
Can also slot in at left-back if required and has 12 caps for Portugal.
MORTEN HJULMAND
Age: 25
Position: Midfield
Cost: £40million
Dane is one of the top holding midfielders in Portugal — and made skipper by Amorim.
He could be the man to replace Casemiro.