Joshua Zirkzee Set for Fiorentina Move as United Faces Dilemma

Joshua Zirkzee is edging towards the Old Trafford exit, with Fiorentina now in pole position to revive his stalled career.

The Manchester United striker has reached an agreement on personal terms with the Serie A club, according to Italian journalist Damiano Er Faina, leaving only a deal between the two clubs to be thrashed out before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

Carrick’s clear message

The writing has been on the wall for weeks.

Since Michael Carrick’s arrival in January, the 25-year-old has drifted to the fringes of United’s attack. The most brutal indicator came on the opening day of the Premier League season: United chased a goal against Hull City, created little, and still Zirkzee never left the bench.

That decision was interpreted inside the camp as a statement. For Zirkzee, it confirmed what his recent minutes had already suggested — he is no longer part of Carrick’s plans and risks another year watching from the sidelines.

So the versatile Dutch forward, once seen as a long-term option, is now ready to move on.

Italy calls again

Serie A has never really stopped calling.

Zirkzee’s reputation in Italy remains strong after his eye-catching spell at Bologna, and for a long time Juventus and Napoli were viewed as the most likely landing spots should he return.

But the landscape has shifted. Fiorentina have surged to the front of the queue.

The Viola are close to offloading Moise Kean to Como, a move that would open up both space in the squad and room on the wage bill for a new striker. Sporting director Fabio Paratici, back in Italian football after his spell at Tottenham, has identified Zirkzee as the ideal addition for Fabio Grosso’s forward line.

The Tuscan club now have an agreement with the Netherlands international on personal terms. The final hurdle is an accord with Manchester United on the fee and structure of the deal. Time is tight, but the trajectory is clear.

United’s dilemma up front

If Fiorentina complete the move, United will be left with a gap to plug.

With the clock ticking on the window, the club have limited room to manoeuvre and little appetite to spend heavily on a striker who will sit behind Benjamin Sesko in the pecking order.

Jean-Philippe Mateta has emerged as one possible solution. The 29-year-old Crystal Palace forward fits the profile of a physical, experienced backup, yet Palace are still holding out for a sizeable fee despite his contract running down. That stance complicates any late move from Old Trafford.

Alexander Sorloth offers a different route. At 30, and currently on the margins at Atletico Madrid despite a strong reputation, the Norwegian could prove more attainable both in terms of fee and role. He would not arrive as a marquee name, but as a functional, ready-made option to support Sesko.

A race against the deadline

For Fiorentina, the path is straightforward: sell Kean, close Zirkzee, hand Grosso a forward who already knows Serie A.

For United, the situation is more delicate. Approve Zirkzee’s departure without a replacement lined up, and Carrick enters a long season with a thin strike department. Block the move, and they keep a player who has already read the signs and sees his future elsewhere.

The agreement with Fiorentina has pushed the issue to a head. Now Old Trafford has days, not weeks, to decide what kind of attack it wants for the season ahead.