Manchester United Eye Smail Matanovic as Zirkzee Replacement

United are bracing for life without Joshua Zirkzee – and the clock is ticking.

The Dutch forward is edging towards the Old Trafford exit after a stuttering spell in England, where he scored just nine times in 75 games. Talks are advancing over a move to Fiorentina, with the former Bologna striker keen on a return to Serie A, and that leaves Michael Carrick hunting for a new focal point up front.

Step forward Smail Prevljak Matanovic.

At 6ft 5in, the Freiburg striker has been identified as United’s ideal replacement, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. Powerful, direct, and coming off a breakout season, the 23-year-old looks built for the Premier League’s physical demands. He cost Freiburg just £6.9 million from Eintracht Frankfurt and repaid that investment with 15 goals in all competitions last season, spearheading Julian Schuster’s run all the way to the Europa League final, where they fell short against Aston Villa.

That kind of profile has not gone unnoticed.

Tottenham have joined the chase, with Roberto De Zerbi pushing for more height and presence in his forward line despite already having Dominic Solanke and Richarlison at his disposal. Spurs see Matanovic as a different kind of weapon – a penalty-box bully who can rough up centre-backs and give them a more direct option when games get tight.

And then there’s Fiorentina, threatening to turn this pursuit into a full-blown deadline-day scrap.

La Viola are deep in talks for Zirkzee but have also marked Matanovic as a serious alternative. Fabio Grosso’s side are reshaping their attack with Moise Kean set to leave for Cesc Fabregas’ Como project, and they are scouring the market for a replacement who can lead the line immediately. If negotiations for Zirkzee slow or collapse, Fiorentina are ready to swing their attention fully towards Matanovic, a move that could trigger a three-way bidding war between United, Spurs and the Serie A club.

United’s need feels the most urgent.

Rasmus Hojlund’s sale to Napoli has stripped Carrick’s squad of a natural number nine, leaving them light through the middle. Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba have added control and energy in midfield, but the lack of a ruthless finisher was laid bare in their shock 2–0 defeat to Hull City. United moved the ball, created phases, but never truly threatened. They looked like a team crying out for a penalty-box presence.

That’s where Matanovic comes in.

Talks over Zirkzee’s exit are progressing, with Fiorentina confident of landing him on a season-long loan. If United can get that deal over the line, they free up both wages and a squad slot to move decisively for Matanovic before Tuesday’s deadline. The plan is simple: offload Zirkzee, reinvest immediately, and avoid going into the autumn with a glaring hole at centre-forward.

Matanovic’s stock has risen sharply over the past year. He may not have found the net in his three appearances at the summer World Cup, but his all-round play caught the eye, and he has exploded into the new campaign. A recent brace in Freiburg’s DFB-Pokal win over Dusseldorf underlined his form and confidence, and only strengthened the argument that he is ready for a bigger stage.

For United, his arrival would mark a clear tactical shift. A towering, Mandzukic-style target man leading the line, pinning defenders, attacking crosses, and giving Carrick’s side a more direct route when the intricate build-up stalls. It’s no surprise the Croatian has already drawn comparisons to Mario Mandzukic – aggressive in the air, relentless off the ball, and unafraid of the physical fight.

But with Tottenham lurking, Fiorentina circling, and the deadline closing in, one question hangs over the final days of the window: who blinks first and turns admiration into a bid big enough to win the battle for Matanovic’s signature?