Fiorentina in Talks with Manchester United for Joshua Zirkzee Loan

Fiorentina are in talks with Manchester United over a deal to take Joshua Zirkzee on loan, with an option to buy next summer.

The Italian club are negotiating an initial season-long loan for the Netherlands international, with discussions including a clause that could turn the move permanent at the end of the campaign. While the clubs are not yet close to a full agreement, there is growing optimism that the deal can be completed before the 1 September transfer deadline.

Zirkzee, who still has three years left on his United contract, is open to the move and prepared to swap Old Trafford for Serie A in search of a more prominent role.

United signed the forward from Bologna in 2024 for £36.5m after a standout season in Italy, where he was named Serie A's Under-23 player of the season for 2023-24.

He made an instant impact in England, scoring on his debut in a 1-0 win over Fulham, hinting at a breakthrough that never fully materialised.

Since then, the 25-year-old has struggled to secure a regular starting place. Across two seasons at United he has made 75 appearances, but only 27 of those have been starts. Last season underlined his stalled progress: just five Premier League starts in 2025-26 and nine goals in all competitions since arriving at the club.

Now Fiorentina are offering him a reset and United a decision: hold a talented but peripheral forward, or cash in next summer if the loan finally unlocks the player Serie A once crowned its best young talent.