Fiorentina Targets Zirkzee as Kean Heads to Como
Fiorentina’s attacking plans are being ripped up and redrawn, and one name sits in bold at the top of the page: Joshua Zirkzee.
With Moise Kean closing in on a move to Como, La Viola know they cannot afford to let the window drift. A replacement is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
Zirkzee vs Beto: Fiorentina’s fork in the road
Inside the club, two profiles are being weighed up. Beto is on the list. Zirkzee is the preference.
Reports in Italy and England align on one key point: Fiorentina are seriously eyeing both strikers, but the Manchester United forward is viewed as the ideal fit. The problem? The price.
Claims relayed by Sport Witness state that United are demanding in the region of £25–30 million for Zirkzee. That figure changes the conversation. For a club that must balance ambition with financial reality, it is a fee that could quickly turn from opportunity to obstacle.
Beto, by contrast, is understood to be available for around £21.4–25m and on significantly lower wages. On paper, the numbers lean his way. The 26-year-old has produced 20 goals and one assist in 98 Premier League appearances, a solid if unspectacular return that at least offers volume and experience.
Zirkzee’s output is lighter but more recent. Since his move to England in 2024, he has scored five goals and added three assists in 56 games. The sample is smaller, the role reduced, but the ceiling is considered higher. That is what tempts Fiorentina. That is also what inflates the cost.
United, Rashford and a shrinking role
The tension around Zirkzee’s future sharpened on the opening weekend of the season. Michael Carrick left him out of Manchester United’s squad for the trip to Hull City, a decision that did nothing to cool the speculation swirling around the forward.
His last year at Old Trafford has already been a grind. A heavily reduced role, no European football, early exits from the domestic cups – all of it has limited his minutes and stunted his momentum.
United’s return to the Champions League could, in theory, open the door to more rotation and more opportunities. Yet even that pathway looks crowded. Marcus Rashford has been reintegrated and can operate across the frontline, tightening competition for every attacking slot.
Zirkzee is waiting. Not for rumours, but for something concrete. A proposal that offers him games, responsibility, and a defined place in the project.
Serie A pull and Juventus shadow
Fiorentina are not alone at the table. They know it.
Juventus have long tracked the Dutchman and are working to bring him back to Serie A, where he impressed during a two-year spell with Bologna. That history matters. So does the player’s stance.
Zirkzee has already informed the Bianconeri that he would be open to a return to Italy in their colours. For Fiorentina, that is both a warning and a challenge: act fast, or watch a prime target walk into the arms of a direct rival.
So the equation is clear. Kean is on his way to Como. A replacement must arrive. Beto is cheaper and simpler. Zirkzee is costlier, coveted by Juventus, and waiting for the right offer.
Which risk will Fiorentina take?
