Manchester United are in advanced negotiations regarding the departure of Joshua Zirkzee, with Juventus positioning themselves as the primary destination for the Netherlands international. As the club seeks to offload the striker—who arrived for £36.5 million in 2024—attention has turned to Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins as a prospective replacement to bolster manager Michael Carrick's frontline.
Zirkzee departure and Juventus interest
United are actively working to resolve Zirkzee's future, with the club reportedly prioritising a permanent transfer over the loan arrangements currently under discussion. Since his arrival from Bologna, the forward has struggled to establish himself within the senior setup. Speaking on the Mirror, former Dutch international Ruud Gullit suggested that the transition to English football proved ill-timed for the 25-year-old, noting that a continued development path within Serie A may have been more beneficial. Juventus are currently leading the pursuit, with United eager to recoup a significant portion of their original investment to clear space for reinforcements.
Watkins and the profile of new arrivals
Should a deal for Zirkzee be finalised, Manchester United are internally discussing Ollie Watkins as a viable target to support Benjamin Sesko. The 30-year-old forward, currently under contract at Aston Villa until 2028, recently saw interest from Fenerbahce dismissed by the Birmingham club. While media speculation suggests a fee in the £35-40 million range, securing Watkins will likely require a substantially higher valuation given his importance to Villa's system and their desire to retain established Premier League talent. Unlike the younger, project-based signing of Zirkzee, moving for Watkins would signal a strategic pivot toward proven, high-output contributors to satisfy Carrick’s tactical requirements for established leadership in the final third.