United Eyeing Igor Matanovic as Zirkzee Replacement

United are bracing for life without Joshua Zirkzee – and the clock is already ticking on his replacement.

The Dutch forward is edging towards the Old Trafford exit after a bruising stint in England, where he returned just nine goals in 75 games. Talks with Fiorentina are advancing, with the Serie A club pushing for a season-long loan, and Zirkzee is understood to be keen on a reset after his difficult spell.

That leaves Michael Carrick short up front and staring at a familiar late-window scramble.

United turn to 6ft 5in solution

Into that gap steps a very specific profile. Tall, aggressive, and in form.

Standing at 6ft 5in, Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic has been identified as the ideal candidate to lead United’s line, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The 23-year-old has just come off a highly promising first season in Germany after a £6.9m move from Eintracht Frankfurt, hitting 15 goals in all competitions.

He went all the way to the Europa League final with Julian Schuster’s side, only to be denied a first major trophy by Aston Villa. Even in defeat, his stock rose.

Now it is rising fast.

Tottenham muscle into the race

United, though, are not alone.

Tottenham have also moved into position, with Roberto De Zerbi said to be keen on adding more height and penalty-box presence to a frontline that already includes Dominic Solanke and Richarlison. For a manager obsessed with structure and patterns, Matanovic offers something different: a reference point, a target, a finisher.

The interest from north London means United cannot dawdle. Any delay on Zirkzee’s exit or on their own formal bid risks opening the door for Spurs.

Fiorentina at the heart of the domino chain

And then there is Fiorentina, right in the middle of the whole merry-go-round.

Fabio Grosso’s side are pushing hard for Zirkzee, but they have also earmarked Matanovic as a Plan B. La Viola are scouring the market for a replacement for Moise Kean, who is set to join Cesc Fabregas’ Como project, and Matanovic fits the bill if their move for Zirkzee stalls.

If Fiorentina fail to close the deal for the Dutchman, they are ready to pivot back towards the Freiburg forward. That shift could spark a three-way bidding war between United, Tottenham and the Serie A club as Tuesday’s deadline looms.

One decision in Florence could reshape the entire chase.

United’s reshuffle and a glaring gap

For United, the pursuit of a new number nine sits within a wider rebuild.

Rasmus Hojlund has already been sold to Napoli, leaving Carrick’s squad light through the middle. Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba have slotted into midfield, but the lack of a ruthless edge in the final third was brutally exposed in a shock 2-0 defeat to Hull City.

The structure is there. The finish is not.

That is why negotiations over Zirkzee’s loan exit are so important. Freeing up his wages and a squad slot would give United the financial room and flexibility to move decisively for Matanovic before the window closes.

A striker on the rise

Matanovic’s reputation has soared over the past year for both club and country.

He drew a blank in three outings at the summer’s World Cup, yet his response has been emphatic. The new season has started in a blur of goals, highlighted by a brace in Freiburg’s DFB-Pokal win over Dusseldorf – the sort of performance that convinces sporting directors he is ready for a bigger stage.

His style has already earned comparisons to Croatian great Mario Mandzukic: physically dominant, relentless in the air, and willing to do the ugly work as well as finish chances.

For United, his arrival would mark a clear shift towards a more imposing, direct focal point in attack. For Tottenham, he would add a different dimension to De Zerbi’s intricate system. For Fiorentina, he could become the headline act of their next cycle.

As the deadline nears and Zirkzee edges closer to the exit, the question is no longer whether Matanovic moves – but which club wins the fight for a striker built for the spotlight.