Manchester United and Juventus Discuss Joshua Zirkzee Loan Deal

Manchester United are deep in negotiations with Juventus over a deal that could see Joshua Zirkzee leave Old Trafford on loan with an option to buy this summer, as the Italian club move quickly to reshape their attack.

According to British outlet The Sun, Juventus have turned to Zirkzee after failing to close a deal for Randal Kolo Muani, who had been their primary target. Once that move collapsed, attention in Turin shifted sharply. Zirkzee went from name on a shortlist to leading candidate.

The striker’s representatives have already given positive feedback to Juventus’ proposal, the report claims, clearing a major hurdle in the process. United, for their part, are prepared to sanction a loan with an option to buy set at around £30 million — despite paying roughly £36.5 million to bring the Dutchman to the club in 2024.

It is a significant admission from United. Club officials now judge that fee to be an accurate reflection of his current value after a season in which he never truly imposed himself. The numbers tell their own story: nine goals in 75 appearances for the Red Devils, and a player who gradually slipped out of the picture.

Under Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick last season, Zirkzee started only five Premier League matches. For a 25-year-old forward in what should be his prime, that lack of trust was damning. He drifted from option to afterthought.

The market, though, has not turned its back on him. Interest in Zirkzee this summer is described as considerable, with several clubs monitoring his situation. Yet Juventus are out in front. They see an opportunity and are moving with intent.

Their original plan revolved around Kolo Muani. After the France international’s underwhelming loan spell at Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain were open to a solution, and Juventus pushed to bring him to the Allianz Stadium. Talks advanced, but the deal hit a wall when the two clubs failed to find common ground on the financial package. The move stalled, then effectively died.

That failure forced Juventus to pivot. Zirkzee quickly emerged as the alternative, a different profile but one who fits the need: a centre-forward to lead the line and refresh an attack that has lacked a consistent focal point.

From Zirkzee’s side, there is no resistance. He is open to the move, and Italy is familiar territory. Before joining United, he spent a season on loan at Parma and two more with Bologna, experiences that mean Serie A, its tempo, and its tactical demands hold no real surprises for him.

For Juventus, that background reduces the risk. For United, a loan with an option to buy offers a clean exit route if he thrives in Turin, and a chance to move on from a signing that never quite caught fire.

The deal now rests on final details. If the two clubs close the gap, Zirkzee’s next chapter looks set to be written back in Italy, this time under the brightest of spotlights in black and white.