summer Man Utd signing Joshua Zirkzee ‘adequate.’
Zirkzee made an impressive start, scoring within minutes of his debut for United earlier this season. However, the Dutch striker has since struggled to score again and has only managed to add two assists as United have slumped to 13th in the Premier League.
The 23-year-old former Bologna and Bayern Munich forward has already become a topic of discussion among United’s management and Amorim, alongside fellow striker Rasmus Hojlund.
The club hopes the 39-year-old manager can inspire a boost in their form, similar to his impact on Sporting CP forward Viktor Gyokeres.
However, reports from Italy, where Zirkzee previously played, claim Amorim has already decided Zirkzee is “not adequate” and is keen to bring in Gyokeres instead. This could lead to Zirkzee departing on loan as early as January.
Before Amorim’s appointment, Zirkzee had been linked to a loan move to Juventus, and the new manager’s arrival seems to have revived that possibility for the Turin-based club.
Italian sources suggest that Juventus has already started negotiations to bring Zirkzee on board, with his salary considered manageable. United hopes to protect their investment by seeing the player develop elsewhere.
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright expressed little surprise at Amorim’s evaluation, saying he struggled to see a place for Zirkzee in the squad under the new manager’s guidance.
Wright said: “Do you know something? When I look at the strikers at Manchester United, I look at [Rasmus] Hojlund and Zirkzee.
“Going forward, as a United player to take the club to the level they need to be – top-four, Champions League, title challengers – I can’t see in any formation Zirkzee making it from what I’ve seen so far.
“I can see it with Hojlund, he looks like a future player with better players around him. He gives me the impression that if he gets in and around the box and he gets chances, he can go hot. I don’t see the same with Zirkzee. I look at him and his movement, I don’t see anything in his game that makes me think, ‘Okay, there he is, I see what he can do’.
“I see that in Hojlund and some of the others. I can see them easily levelling up but I feel for Zirkzee.”
