£36.5m Man Utd signing could push for summer exit after brutal drop in game time

Manchester United may be forced to make a significant transfer decision when the summer window opens.

According to The Sun, Man United forward Joshua Zirkzee is eyeing a summer exit after being frozen out of the starting XI.

The Dutch international joined Old Trafford from Bologna in 2024 in a deal worth £36.5 million.

Expectations were high when Zirkzee arrived in Manchester, but he struggled to establish any real consistency during the 2024-25 campaign.

Despite featuring 49 times, he managed to score just seven goals. Only three of those strikes came in the Premier League.

With United bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, Zirkzee’s opportunities were always likely to become even more limited.

The 24-year-old has featured in 18 league matches this season, but he has started only four of them.

His most recent start came in the 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers in December, when he was substituted at half-time despite scoring United’s goal.

His only other goal this season arrived in the 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace earlier in the campaign.

Zirkzee is reportedly aware that regular minutes may remain hard to come by, even if United qualify for the Champions League next season.

The Dutchman possesses clear technical ability, but his lack of pace makes it difficult for him to operate as a traditional centre-forward traditional centre-forward in the Premier League.

However, his skill set could be far better suited to Serie A, a league known for its tactical structure and slower tempo.

A return to Italy therefore appears to be a very realistic possibility when the transfer window opens.

Stats from Fotmob.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .