Juventus Target Joshua Zirkzee After Kolo Muani Deal Falls Through

Joshua Zirkzee has slipped down the Manchester United pecking order. In Italy, that has made him a priority.

Juventus have moved the Dutch forward to the top of their list after talks to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain broke down, with the Turin club now pushing for a loan deal that includes a £30million option to buy.

Juventus change course

For weeks, Juventus had Kolo Muani earmarked as their new No9 after his underwhelming loan spell at Tottenham. The plan was clear: agree a fee with PSG, plug him straight into an attack that has lost its edge.

The plan has collapsed.

Negotiations with PSG stalled over the price and pace of the deal, and Juventus grew increasingly irritated at the lack of progress. With the new season edging closer and their forward line still short, they switched targets.

The focus is now on Zirkzee.

Out of favour at Old Trafford

At 25, Zirkzee should be entering his prime years, yet last season he started only five Premier League games under Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick. He sits behind Benjamin Sesko and Mateus Cunha in the striking hierarchy, with Marcus Rashford also in line for a return to the fold.

Nine goals in 75 appearances for United tell the story of a talent that never quite settled. Confidence has drained, minutes have dried up, and a club once excited by his potential now accepts he may need a different stage.

United are prepared to let him go on loan with a £30m option, even though they paid around £36.5m to bring him in back in 2024. Inside Old Trafford, there is a recognition that the proposed figure reflects his current value after a stop-start spell.

Serie A calling again

For Zirkzee, that different stage looks familiar. He knows Serie A, and he trusts it.

He spent a season on loan at Parma and then two years at Bologna, learning the rhythms of Italian football and the tactical demands that suit his game. The Italian top flight, with its emphasis on structure, movement and combination play, fits the way he likes to operate between the lines.

A move to Juventus, in particular, appeals. Zirkzee is keen on the switch to the Allianz Stadium and views it as the right step at this point in his career. Those close to the talks say his representatives have already responded positively to Juventus’ approach.

Race for a No9

Juventus are not alone in their admiration. Roma have tracked Zirkzee for some time and remain in the conversation, but the Turin club have accelerated harder and earlier. Luciano Spalletti’s side are currently seen as favourites, having moved quickly once it became clear the Kolo Muani deal was in trouble.

The urgency is understandable. Dusan Vlahovic has left the club on a free transfer, stripping Juventus of their main reference point up front, while Jonathan David has struggled badly for goals, scoring just six times in 35 Serie A appearances last season.

A new centre-forward is no luxury. It is a necessity.

Zirkzee, underused and unsettled in Manchester, and a Juventus side desperate for a focal point: the fit is obvious. Now it comes down to whether the Italian giants can turn that clarity into a completed deal before someone else in Serie A decides to make their own move.