Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has refused to rule out a move for Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee, revealing the club will keep an eye out for “interesting opportunities.”
Manchester United paid a handsome £36 million fee to sign Zirkzee from Serie A side Bologna, hoping he would add more firepower to the attack. Zirkzee signed a five-year contract with the Old Trafford outfit.
The Dutchman impressed on his debut, scoring the winner in Man Utd’s 1-0 victory over Fulham. Unfortunately, it was not the start of a purple patch, as he failed to find the back of the net in the following 11 matches.
Zirkzee scored an excellent brace in the 4-0 victory over Everton on Matchday 13, but it once again proved to be a one-off, as he has since been on a dry run. Zirkzee has neither scored nor assisted in the last six Premier League matches (1 W, 5 L). Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim controversially hooked him at half-time during the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United on 30th December.
In light of his recent struggles, Zirkzee has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford. According to Italian media, Serie A giants Juventus could offer Zirkzee a way out of the club in the January transfer window.
Juventus Sporting Director Addresses Links With Manchester United Forward Joshua Zirkzee
Speaking with Lega Serie A ahead of Juventus’ clash with AC Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-finals on 3rd January, Giuntoli said (via Gazzetta dello Sport):
“Zirkzee? It’s not appropriate to mention names, but we are keeping an eye on any interesting opportunities, and we will move to strengthen the defence.”
According to reports, Juventus is hoping to seal a short-term loan deal for Zirkzee.
Before making the switch to the Premier League in the summer of 2024, Zirkzee spent two seasons at Bologna, meaning he is very much familiar with the demands of Italian football. The 23-year-old played 58 games four Bologna in all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing nine assists.
The Netherlands international’s experience in Italy could come in handy for Juve as they push to finish inside the top four (currently in sixth place).
