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Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly drawing interest from Aston Villa in the closing fortnight of the summer transfer window, keeping the door open for a potential departure from Manchester United.
Zirkzee made a positive impression during the early preseason period when Michael Carrick was working with a reduced squad just weeks after the World Cup. However, the Dutch forward has been strongly linked with a move back to Serie A, where he previously shone for Bologna.
Juventus is among the interested clubs, though other transfer activity—including the signing of Randal Kolo Muani—has complicated their pursuit of Zirkzee. A potential exit, whether it involves the struggling Jonathan David or even prized asset Kenan Yıldız, who has been linked with Arsenal, could make a move more viable.
Remaining in the Premier League is also a possibility, depending on how other transfer situations develop. According to Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa have made a phone call to United to inquire about Zirkzee's availability and the terms of a potential transfer.
Villa, set to participate in the Champions League for the second time in three seasons, are thin on options in the striker department. That situation could worsen if Al Hilal succeed in their bid to tempt a restless Ollie Watkins to Saudi Arabia, leaving Tammy Abraham as the only other senior centre-forward. Brian Madjo, who scored in the UEFA Super Cup, is highly regarded but won't turn 18 until January.
Zirkzee is not regarded as the primary target, however. That distinction belongs to Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson, who had a brief stint under Villa boss Unai Emery during their time together at Villarreal. Jackson has become available after Chelsea prioritised Emmanuel Emegha, but the financial demands involved mean Villa securing the Senegalese international—who has interest from other clubs—is far from certain.
At his finest, Zirkzee is not a traditional penalty-box striker, despite his commanding physical presence suggesting otherwise. Rather than playing in the mould of Erling Haaland, the 25-year-old favours dropping deeper to contribute to build-up play and chance creation, much like Harry Kane.
'Keep a Close Eye' on Man Utd Pursuing a Striker
The prospect of Zirkzee moving to Aston Villa seems unlikely at this stage, as it hinges on a deal for Jackson falling through and Manchester United agreeing to acceptable terms for his departure—all within a very tight timeframe.
Romano suggests that, should Zirkzee depart—whether to Villa or another club—it would be worth keeping a "close eye" on how the Red Devils react, as the search for a backup striker to Benjamin Šeško has been an ongoing topic of discussion.
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While Matheus Cunha and Marcus Rashford can fill the centre-forward role—with the former starting ahead of Šeško in the opening-day loss to Hull City—United have been connected with a striker pursuit throughout the summer, albeit as a lower priority than central midfield, goalkeeper, and left back.
The flexibility of other squad members, including Bryan Mbeumo, may make it more of a desire than a necessity. Nevertheless, a seasoned and proven option like Ivan Toney, who would need to walk away from the financial rewards of Saudi Arabia, would be a strong fit.
Danny Welbeck would have been an ideal candidate before he opted to join Chelsea in a comparable capacity. United made no attempt to sign him this summer, having learned from previous approaches that Welbeck had no interest in a one-year contract. Chelsea's advantage was that they offered him a two-year deal.