'Man Utd has become a cesspool' - Joshua Zirkzee's agent blasted for 'choosing the money' amid Dutch star's struggles at Old Trafford

He was considered to be a cut-price option for the Red Devils at the time of his arrival, but still moved to England in a deal that could be worth €42.5 million (£37m/$50m). Little return has been seen on that investment so far, with Zirkzee recording seven goals and three assists across his debut campaign with United.

The Dutch forward has failed to register a goal contribution of any kind through four appearances this season, leading to more uncomfortable questions being asked of his value to the collective cause. Regular game time is proving hard to come by amid fierce competition for places from the likes of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko - who were all snapped up in the last transfer window.

Another move for Zirkzee is now being mooted, with a return to Italy being speculated on for a man that impressed with Bologna after leaving Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich for Serie A in 2022. He is being urged to push for a change of scenery, with his representatives being accused of making the wrong call when accepting an offer from United - a club that has been stuck in a transition loop for some time.

Franco Ordine, one of the analysts discussing Zirkzee’s situation with Tuttomercatoweb, has said: "The question isn’t whether he’s a fraud or a great player, but he took the wrong path. He ended up at a club that’s become a cesspool, just look at how [Rasmus] Hojlund was reborn in Naples. The agent chose the money instead of thinking about his client’s career."

Zirkzee is said to be mulling over his options ahead of the January window as he has international aspirations to think about in a World Cup year. The Daily Mail claims: "Confidential understands the player is deeply frustrated at his situation, and a move in the January transfer window is seen as absolutely crucial if he is to force his way back into the reckoning for the Netherlands’ World Cup squad next summer. He has been left out of Ronald Koeman’s squad for the qualifiers against Malta and Finland.

"Napoli desperately wanted Zirkzee in the summer but United had no interest in allowing him to leave, and the Italians pivoted to his rival for the No 9 shirt last season, Rasmus Hojlund, on a loan with an obligation to buy. Juventus were another club who were very interested in signing Zirkzee on loan, while PSV Eindhoven wanted to take him back to the Netherlands."

They go on to claim that: "There is no doubt that Zirkzee’s frustration has escalated significantly in recent weeks, and now his only chance to salvage a season that could cost him a spot at the World Cup appears to be by trying to secure a move away in January."

Zirkzee was in high spirits before the 2025-26 campaign got underway, telling United Review: "The group, for me, is just, I don’t know, there’s such a good vibe. We’re all invested in something. You can really tell that we really want to make sure that we’re not doing what we did last season. Also, outside the pitch, there’s some good vibes. We’re doing a lot of team bonding. I feel we’re much closer than we were last season, and hopefully we can translate all of that onto the pitch and share it with you, you know, the rest of the world who’s supporting United.

"It’s not, of course, just going to be all sunshine. I think this group is ready for that, to be honest. We have some great guys, experienced guys, young guys. There’s a hunger in this team. There’s even a bigger hunger I think from our manager, from our coach. So it’s up to us to just keep improving and also enjoying what we’re doing."

More inconsistency has been endured by United, leading to pressure mounting on Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim. Zirkzee appears to have little role to play in another rebuild, meaning that a return to Italy could be negotiated early in 2026.