Fiorentina Negotiating Loan for Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United

Fiorentina are in talks with Manchester United over a loan deal for forward Joshua Zirkzee, with the Italian club pushing to include an option to buy at the end of the season.

The Netherlands international is expected to leave Old Trafford this summer and has drawn interest from several clubs across Europe, but Fiorentina have moved to the front of the queue. Discussions are ongoing over a season-long loan running until the end of the campaign, with the possibility of making the move permanent next summer.

Zirkzee, who still has three years left on his United contract, is open to the switch and views Serie A as an attractive route to regular football. Those close to the talks insist an agreement is not imminent, yet there is growing optimism that a deal can be completed before the transfer deadline on 1 September.

United signed Zirkzee from Bologna in 2024 for £36.5m after he was named Serie A’s Under-23 player of the season for 2023-24. He arrived with momentum and marked his debut with the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Fulham.

That early spark never truly developed into a permanent place in the starting XI. Across two seasons, the 25-year-old has managed just 27 starts in 75 appearances, struggling to dislodge more established options in United’s attack. Last season underlined that battle for minutes: he made only five Premier League starts in the 2025-26 campaign.

Zirkzee has scored nine goals in all competitions for United, flashes of quality that have convinced Fiorentina he can be a central figure rather than a rotational option. Now the clock is ticking towards 1 September. If the clubs can close the gap in negotiations, Zirkzee’s next chapter may be written back in Serie A.