Joshua Zirkzee looks forward to donning the no9 or no11 jersey at Manchester United next season, although he acknowledges that the ultimate choice might be influenced by new teammate Rasmus Hojlund.
At 23, Zirkzee became United’s first summer signing, joining from Bologna in a £36 million deal on Monday.
- Two shock names emerge in race for this year’s Ballon d’Or that no-one saw coming
- New report reveals private message Enzo Fernandez sent to Chelsea teammates
- Man Utd to land second summer signing as £52m star travels for medical
He might soon be joined by Leny Yoro, as the Lille star has completed the initial part of his medical in Manchester ahead of his transfer from France.
The Dutch international provides United with a versatile attacking option, finishing the 2023-24 season as Bologna’s top scorer and helping them qualify for the Champions League.
In his first club interview released on Wednesday, Zirkzee shared that his childhood idols were Ronaldinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
His squad number remains undecided, with the no9 available following Anthony Martial’s contract expiration.
Zirkzee has expressed interest in the iconic no9 but acknowledges that Hojlund might be prioritized for the number.
The Danish international, like Zirkzee, transferred to Old Trafford from Serie A and became United’s main centre forward last season, aiming to surpass his debut tally of 16 goals in the 2024-25 season.
Zirkzee is also willing to take the no11 if Hojlund switches – a number previously worn by club legend Ryan Giggs.
When asked about his shirt number, Zirkzee told the YouTube show Supergraande: “That depends a bit on Rasmus Højlund. He’s already there and he’s also a striker. No9 is free, but yeah… He has 11, so I can imagine that he wants no9 now. In that case I’ll take 11.
“At Bologna I also had 11, so that doesn’t really matter to me.”
Zirkzee also discussed his initial talks with United during the Netherlands’ Euro 2024 campaign, which ended in a semi-final loss to England.
“I had a conversation in Wolfsburg. My father was there too, because he is there for everything. After that conversation I immediately had a good feeling, then the choice was actually already made,” he said.
“The European Championship was number one anyway, United also thought that was important. That was where the focus had to be. So that was doable.”
