Following a challenging season where Manchester United struggled with consistent goal-scoring, they opted to pay above the release clause to secure Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna.
The beginning seemed perfect, as the Netherlands international scored the winning goal on his debut. However, since then, he has missed several excellent opportunities and appears to lack confidence.
After a few tough performances and with Rasmus Højlund returning to the starting lineup following a pre-season injury, Erik ten Hag has chosen the Dane as the central striker for the last three matches.
After his impressive performance against Brentford, it’s expected that the Dutch manager will continue to rely on the former Atalanta starlet for upcoming matches.
Zirkzee Facing Difficulties
This will further damage Zirkzee’s confidence, with Calciomercato reporting that the forward is “starting to regret” choosing the Premier League over remaining in Serie A.
The report also emphasizes that the 23-year-old hopes to leave Old Trafford as early as January, though it remains uncertain if Manchester United will grant his request so soon after making a significant investment to sign him.
Juventus is still interested in strengthening its attack under former Bologna manager Thiago Motta and may pursue a loan deal. AC Milan, who showed interest in the summer, now appear to have moved on.
“Joshua is starting to regret the choice he made last summer, preferring the Red Devils to various Italian clubs and beyond. The English press has no doubts: right now, Zirkzee is a £36M flop.
“Zirkzee would gladly return to Italy, probably as early as January. It remains to be seen whether Manchester United would be open to a loan transfer.”
Willing to Return to Serie A
“Joshua could come back into fashion for Juventus, who are looking for a player with his characteristics, while for Milan, despite the strong approval, the matter seems to have been definitively closed.”
Unless INEOS can provide more funding to improve the attack, it would be illogical for the 20-time English league champions to part ways with the Dutchman.
It was expected that Zirkzee would require time to adjust to his new environment, and he appears to be more of a link-up player than a clinical finisher in the box.
He certainly offers a different style compared to Højlund, and Ten Hag has the option to utilize him in various roles. Hopefully, he will settle in quickly and justify the club’s confidence in him in the coming months.
Motta Hints Danilo Could Start, Warns Juventus vs Stuttgart
Juventus coach Thiago Motta emphasizes that his team will face a tough challenge when they take on Stuttgart in their upcoming Champions League match.
The Bianconeri have already triumphed over PSV Eindhoven and RB Leipzig, and they’ll be looking to keep their perfect record intact when they welcome the German side to Allianz Stadium on Tuesday night.
Although Stuttgart sits mid-table in the Bundesliga, Motta considers them a strong opponent for his team. The Italo-Brazilian coach points out that the Germans came close to defeating reigning European champions Real Madrid, only to concede two late goals and lose 1-3.
“In the Champions League, Stuttgart played their first match in Madrid and deserved to win, in my opinion,” said Motta in his pre-match interview.
“They then conceded two goals in the end, but they put a big team in difficulty. In the league, the first half with Bayern was balanced; they have great players who make the difference. In the second half, Bayern were superior.
“Stuttgart are comfortable with the ball, in possession, in controlling the game, and Bayern didn’t allow that. Stuttgart are a strong team, who play good football, we are ready to do everything to put them in difficulty.”
The Juventus coach confirmed that Weston McKennie is back and could start, while Teun Koopmeiners and Nico Gonzalez are still unavailable.
“We have Weston in the group and can start the match. Fagioli is fine as well and there’s also Conceicao who is returning from suspension. Nico and Koop are not there, in addition to Bremer and Milik.”
Motta also suggested that Danilo might start after his strong performance off the bench against Lazio.
“Let’s see for tomorrow, I agree that against Lazio, Danilo’s introduction gave a lot of rhythm to the team. Against Lazio, we were a bit too disorganized while having an extra man on the pitch. Then we managed to create chances which resulted in an own-goal.”
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