Roma open talks over possible move for Man Utd striker Joshua Zirkzee as Dutchman eyes Old Trafford escape route

It is the fourth month of the 2025-26 season, with the Premier League ticking off back in August, and United's Dutch forward is yet to start in the Premier League. Even in their Carabao Cup campaign, which saw United knocked out by fourth-tier outfit Grimsby Town, he was not in the starting lineup and was later called in as a substitute. Recording just 82 minutes of playing time this season in the English top flight, with five-minute and eight-minute cameos against teams like Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion, Zirkzee is now encouraged to rediscover himself by walking out the door at Old Trafford.

According to Sky Sport, Zirkzee has informed his representatives to search for a club and ensure him a loan move in the upcoming January transfer window. Meanwhile, he has already garnered interest from two prominent heavyweights in the Serie A, a competition he bossed during his tenure at Bologna. 

The club with a concrete interest are AS Roma. The outfit is in contact with his representatives over his salary. Notably, Zirkzee, in order to seek a revival, is ready to accept a pay cut from what he receives at United. With Paulo Dybala receiving a thigh injury against Milan on Sunday, and the extent of his injury yet to be revealed, Gasperini is in trouble to rejuvenate his attacking third, which has produced only 10 goals in the ongoing domestic league, the lowest among the top 10 teams in the table. 

Critical of the sluggish nature of his forwards, the Italian mentor wants clinical players up front in the coming days to bolster their chances of winning the coveted Scudetto and the Europa League. Zirkzee, who scored 14 times and assisted on nine occasions during his 58-game tenure at Bologna is understood to be the player which Gasperini wants in his contingent.

Even if United sanction Zirkzee's move abroad to Italy, Roma are expected to face stern competition from fellow Italian giants Milan. Ever since Massimiliano Allegri took charge of his 'once' former team this summer, the Rossoneri are determined to re-establish themselves on the Italian map after recent unsuccessful tenures. They, like United, are not a part of European football this season, but want to win the Serie A title. With Santiago Jimenez and Christian Pulisic injured at this moment, new signing from Chelsea, Christopher Nkunku is the only centre forward at Allegri's disposal, who at times has not shied away from deploying Portuguese winger Rafael Leao as a No.9. 

Roma have only two proper No.9 profiles in their squad list, namely Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk. While Ferguson is out injured, the pressure is on newcomer Dovbyk, who is taking time to adapt to the competition and the side. Amidst this, their talismanic figure in the attacking third, Dybala finds himself out with a thigh injury. The Gialorossi have concerns with their attacking third, and if they want to improve their conversion rate, which has cost them points this season, they would need someone like Zirkzee, who had been a clinical player at Bologna.