Just in: Romano reveals INEOS made U-turn on 13 G/A Man Utd star after pre-season displays
Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Manchester United would be happy to keep Joshua Zirkzee amid keen interest from Juventus.
The 25-year-old has been on the club’s books since making the £36.5 million move from Bologna in the summer of 2024.
Despite becoming a fan favourite at Old Trafford for his brilliant technical touch and positive attitude, the Dutchman hasn’t been able to lock down a starting role.
Man Utd refuse to send Joshua Zirkzee to Juventus on loan
Due to his constant struggle for playing time, Zirkzee has attracted interest from Serie A, where he remains a popular figure.
Reports from Italy and England confirm Juve’s staunch desire to bring Zirkzee back to the Italian peninsula.
| Zirkzee’s Man Utd Stats | Apppearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2024/25 | 49 | 7 | 3 |
| 2025/26 | 26 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 75 | 9 | 4 |
The Bianconeri have been tracking the versatile attacker since his time at Bologna, and they now believe this is their ultimate chance to finally land their long-time target.
In the latest video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano weighed in on the situation.
The transfer market expert confirmed Juve’s interest in Zirkzee, but revealed that United aren’t willing to accept a loan deal if it doesn’t include an obligation to buy.
Romano insists this is a key condition that the Red Devils aren’t willing to waive. After all, Michael Carrick and the management are ‘very happy’ with Zirkzee, so they wouldn’t mind keeping him.
The only solution would be for Juventus to sell one of their own strikers (most likely Jonathan David) to make room for the Dutchman. However, there haven’t been any updates on this front recently, making Zirkzee’s move to Turin unlikely at this stage.
Why Man United changed their stance on Zirkzee
This is certainly an important turnaround, as the Netherlands international was almost considered redundant.
Nevertheless, he has been one of the standout performers of pre-season, producing inspiring displays in the summer friendlies, which may have given Carrick and his collaborators second thoughts.
Moreover, one could argue that Zirkzee is the perfect foil for Benjamin Sesko, as the latter is a traditional centre-forward, whereas the Dutchman is an unconventional attacker who likes to drop deep and roam all over the pitch.
Therefore, Zirkzee isn’t a mere understudy for Sesko, but an important option off the bench who offers a different skill set and can even play behind the former RB Leipzig bomber.
The former Bologna star may have struggled for playing time in the previous 40-game campaign, but with Man Utd extending their schedule to a possible 60 matches, he will surely be granted more opportunities this term.
