It’s no secret that Manchester United have made strengthening their central midfield department a priority in the ongoing transfer window as they prepare for a return to the Premier League.
Andrej Santos and Youri Tielemans have already completed moves to Old Trafford this summer, with the aforementioned duo reportedly worth a total of £85m.
However, manager Michael Carrick wants to add a third player to the center of the team, but he is looking for overwhelming ball-winning ability to complement the two new signings.
If the Red Devils continue to spend heavily during this period, they may have to sell players, which could lead to a player’s stay at the club coming to an abrupt end.
What does Joshua Zirkzee’s future hold at United?
Pre-season often gives players on the fringes of the first team a chance to impress, and this year is no exception, as was the case with Joshua Zirkzee.
The Dutch attacker has made just 10 appearances since Carrick’s arrival in February, starting just one of those, before replacing Benjamin Sesco at second fiddle.
However, he has been part of the club’s pre-season tour so far and even scored a stunning solo goal in the 5-0 win over Rosenborg in Norway on Friday.
Following such performances, many supporters are calling for the 25-year-old to be given another chance through the 2026/27 season, but it remains highly unlikely that such a decision will be taken.
Zirkzee has been constantly touted for a move away from Old Trafford since the start of 2026, and the link has continued to pick up pace since the summer window opened.
Juventus are one of the teams that has constantly monitored the attacker’s development, which is why the player himself gave the green light to return to Italy during this period.
Joshua Zirkzee – Manchester United statistics | |
|---|---|
statistics | tally |
games played | 75 |
Number of points scored | 9 |
assist | 4 |
yellow card | 7 |
Play time (minutes) | 2901 |
Trophies won | 0 |
It remains to be seen how much the Red Devils will be able to recoup from their £36.5m investment, but despite his goals in recent days, he still appears to be a player who can be offloaded.
How can United land Zirksee’s perfect replacement this summer?
As United continue their efforts to sign a new central midfielder, other areas of the pitch continue to be monitored for potential investment.
INEOS have recently been looking to sign Fenerbahce left-back Archie Brown, but could face stiff competition from Chelsea for the Englishman.
This is not the only area where new reinforcements could be made. Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins has emerged as a new transfer target for Carrick’s side.
The Sun reports that United are considering a potential move for the 30-year-old, who scored 16 goals in the English international’s final season in the top flight.
They claim Arsenal are also a team keen to test the resolve of Unai Emery’s side, and they are said to value the England international at the equivalent of £40m.
Such a move would undoubtedly give Carrick another proven goalscorer in attack, and could push Zirksee further down the pecking order and ultimately lead to his departure from Old Trafford.
Watkins’ statistics in recent campaigns in the Premier League have shown his all-round qualities, producing figures that the Dutchman has since failed to match.
The Villa star had an impressive 1.3 shots on target per 90 last season, which put him above 80% of all European forwards.
He also shot 46% on target and found the back of the net on every one of his five shots. That’s better than any player currently on Carrick’s team.
Watkins took his goalscoring exploits to Europe throughout the 2025/26 season, scoring five goals to propel Emery’s side to Europa League glory.
Such figures will be music to the ears of United fans who are hungry for proven talent who can flourish on the continental stage once they secure a return to the Champions League.
The Englishman, described by journalist Tom Kolomosse as “one of the PL’s best strikers”, has scored 91 goals in England’s top flight during his career, further proving his superiority over Zirksee.
Paying £40 million for a player of his proven quality would be a great signing for United this summer and would remove some of the responsibility from Sesco.
It will undoubtedly give Carrick the much-needed cover in attacking areas and finally allow the Dutchman to return to his best form away from Old Trafford.
