Man Utd Reveals Transfer Decision on Joshua Zirkzee Following Shock Absence from Carrick Clash
Roma's football director Frederic Massara has restated his conviction that Manchester United will refuse to let Joshua Zirkzee depart this month, despite the player being absent from Michael Carrick's inaugural squad selection.
The Netherlands forward has suffered through a severely disrupted season so far. Following his battle to secure a position ahead of Rasmus Højlund at Manchester United amid numerous attacking reinforcements, Zirkzee found himself relegated to the bench for the campaign's opening four months.
A setback to Benjamin Šeško eventually compelled Ruben Amorim to utilize the 24-year-old outcast, granting him three straight starts as November transitioned into December. Zirkzee found the net during this short run of games, breaking a Premier League scoring dry spell that had lasted 364 days, before being sidelined once more.
Following Amorim's departure, Roma's recruitment head Massara disclosed that United had "shut down" all transfer negotiations until stability returned. Carrick's appointment on a deal through season's end has resolved at least one issue for the club's leadership, though their position appears unchanged.
When questioned again about their interest in Zirkzee, Massara disappointedly stated this weekend: "Man Utd said no quite clearly a couple of weeks ago and they have not changed their minds," according to BBC Sport's Simon Stone.
Zirkzee was absent from Carrick's second return to the Old Trafford technical area, observing from the bench as his colleagues earned a well-deserved 2–0 victory over Manchester City. The new manager chose to deploy no traditional striker, utilizing Bryan Mbeumo's speed and adaptability in a central position, though Zirkzee's exclusion wasn't due to any confidence issues.
United announced before kickoff that the Dutch international had sustained a training injury, and the player was recorded post-match informing supporters he would be sidelined for two weeks—coincidentally covering the rest of January's transfer period.
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Multiple reports have clearly indicated that Carrick won't receive any new signings in January, which primarily explains why players like Zirkzee have seen their transfer hopes delayed for at least half a year: United's roster is far too small to voluntarily reduce numbers.
Nevertheless, there could still be fresh faces joining the senior group.
Carrick emphasized the opportunities available from youth development to the first team. "Everyone deserves an opportunity, you know," he noted during his opening week. "Every young player deserves and desires a chance. It's their responsibility to then merit that opportunity.
"That's something I've always been enthusiastic about. Even during my playing days, when a younger player joined the group or squad, I would assist them, offer guidance and counsel. Watching them succeed and essentially soar because they feel they represent the first team and have that chance to take the field."
This could well be a clever strategy to connect with United's supporters. It certainly differs markedly from Amorim's critical approach regarding the club's "privileged" youth players.
However, it might be a necessity that Carrick must utilize if United's limited squad depth becomes overstretched.