Juventus wants a loan-to-buy deal for Zirkzee worth 30 million, Manchester United must decide quickly! A Serie A dark horse is also competing

Thanks to his performance in Manchester United's second preseason match, Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee has reignited interest from Serie A clubs. It is reported that Juventus and Como are both interested in signing him, and British media claim that talks between Juventus and Manchester United over a loan with an option to buy have reached an advanced stage.

The Sun reports that Juventus wants to loan Zirkzee for one season, with a buyout clause of £30 million (€35 million) next summer. If sold at this price, Manchester United would secure a profit on their books. In the summer of 2024, United signed Zirkzee from Bologna for a transfer fee of €42.5 million (£36.5 million). Based on amortization, they would only need to sell him for £21 million to avoid a loss now.

Zirkzee has failed to show an ideal level during his two years at Manchester United, scoring just 5 goals in 56 Premier League appearances—clearly not the numbers expected of a proper center-forward. He still hopes to fight for a place in Amorim's future plans, but United are open to selling him.

Zirkzee originally planned to leave the club in January this year, but Manchester United refused to loan him out at the time, citing a lack of squad depth. However, Amorim did not use him much afterwards. Now, Zirkzee is more inclined to stay at United, believing that after the team returns to the Champions League, he will get more rotation opportunities.

Whether Juventus can convince Zirkzee to leave remains uncertain, but they can certainly get United to give the green light for a transfer. The "Bianconeri" initially hoped to sign Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain on a permanent deal, but negotiations over the fee between the two clubs have hit a deadlock.

Now, Juventus have turned to Zirkzee. It is said that they are the most serious club pursuing the Dutchman. Although Como and Roma have also been linked with him, Luca Spalletti is believed to be the one most eager to land this Manchester United fringe player, and the talks have progressed much faster than expected.

Juventus desperately need a new center-forward because Dušan Vlahović has left on a free transfer, and Jonathan David's goal-scoring ability has been poor. Last season, David made 35 appearances in Serie A, scoring only 6 goals—earning him the nickname "the Serie A Zirkzee".

Cesc Fàbregas's Como are also monitoring Zirkzee, but they have not yet taken action. Matteo Moretto says Como are still evaluating Zirkzee to see if he can strengthen their attacking firepower.

Zirkzee is very familiar with Serie A, having spent a season on loan at Parma from Bayern Munich, followed by two seasons at Bologna. Like the fans, Zirkzee believes that the Italian league suits his playing style better. He performs better in matches with a slower pace and less intense physicality, as shown in last weekend's 5-0 friendly win over Norwegian side Rosenborg.

It is reported that Zirkzee's agent responded positively to Juventus's proposal. Naturally, Manchester United are also happy to accept the loan-to-buy option with a £30 million buyout clause. Sir Jim Ratcliffe's management team believes that the fee reasonably reflects his value.

If Zirkzee is sold, Manchester United will have the opportunity to bring in a new backup center-forward. However, veteran Danny Welbeck may no longer be a candidate, even though many fans and pundits have suggested that the Red Devils sign him to compete with Šeško.

According to reports, the 35-year-old "Black Pea" has reached a preliminary agreement with Chelsea and is willing to move to Stamford Bridge. Brighton have also approved the deal, but the two sides still need to agree on the transfer fee. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says: "Chelsea are considering signing Welbeck to add experience to their attacking line ahead of next season. Initial contacts have been made to understand the terms of the deal, and discussions are ongoing."

The Athletic's David Ornstein says: "Chelsea want to sign Welbeck from Brighton, whose contract runs until 2027. Brighton are aware of Chelsea's interest. It is still at an early stage, but all parties are optimistic about reaching an agreement. Welbeck's quality and leadership are very attractive to Chelsea manager Alonso."

If Manchester United want to sell Zirkzee, they need to make a decision quickly; otherwise, other ideal replacement targets may be snapped up by other clubs first.