United Prepare for Zirkzee Exit as Matanovic Emerges as Top Target
Manchester United are quietly preparing for life without Joshua Zirkzee – and the clock is already ticking on his replacement.
The Dutch forward is edging towards the Old Trafford exit after a flat spell in England, where he managed just nine goals in 75 appearances. Talks over a move back to Serie A are advancing, with Fiorentina pushing hardest, and that leaves Michael Carrick staring at a sizeable hole at the top of his team.
He thinks he’s found the man to fill it.
Matanovic moves to the top of United’s list
Standing 6ft 5in and brimming with penalty-box menace, Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic has emerged as United’s preferred option, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The 23-year-old made a real statement in his first season with the Bundesliga club after a £6.9m switch from Eintracht Frankfurt. Fifteen goals in all competitions, a constant aerial threat, and a run all the way to the Europa League final, where Julian Schuster’s side fell short against Aston Villa.
No trophy. Plenty of attention.
His form has pushed him from promising prospect to serious target, and United see him as a ready-made focal point for a more physical, direct edge up front.
Tottenham step into the ring
This is no quiet, uncontested deal.
Tottenham are firmly in the race, with Roberto De Zerbi keen to add more height and presence to his frontline despite already having Dominic Solanke and Richarlison on the books. Spurs have been tracking Matanovic’s development and see him as a striker who can bully centre-backs and still play in a technical system.
So United have company. Serious company.
Fiorentina’s domino plan
And then comes the twist.
Fiorentina, already deep in talks for Zirkzee, are also keeping Matanovic on their radar as an alternative. Fabio Grosso’s side are scouring the market for a replacement for Moise Kean, who is set to join Cesc Fabregas at Como.
If negotiations for Zirkzee stall or collapse, La Viola are ready to pivot. That would drag Matanovic into the middle of a three-way tug-of-war between United, Spurs and Fiorentina – the kind of late-window scramble that can explode in a matter of hours.
One stalled deal could ignite another.
United’s attack under reconstruction
United’s push for a new No 9 is not just about Zirkzee. It comes in the middle of a broader overhaul of Carrick’s squad.
The sale of Rasmus Hojlund to Napoli has stripped United of another central option, leaving the squad light through the middle. Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba have settled into midfield and given United more control, but the lack of a ruthless finisher was laid bare in their shock 2-0 defeat to Hull City.
They created. They didn’t kill. And that has accelerated the hunt.
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 room in the squad to go hard for Matanovic before Tuesday’s deadline.
Time, as always in late August, is part of the pressure.
A striker on the rise
Matanovic’s reputation has risen sharply over the past year, for both club and country.
He drew a blank in three appearances at the summer World Cup, but that hasn’t slowed him. He has opened the new campaign in ruthless form, including a brace in Freiburg’s DFB-Pokal win over Dusseldorf that underlined his confidence and sharpness in front of goal.
Those performances have only strengthened the feeling that he is ready for a bigger stage, a bigger shirt, and bigger expectations.
Comparisons with Croatian legend Mario Mandzukic have followed him – the frame, the aggression, the penalty-box presence. United see that profile as exactly what they lack. Tottenham see the same thing. Fiorentina might yet decide they do too.
As deadline day looms, the question is simple: who moves quickest for the 6ft 5in Croatian, and does United’s new era up front end up built around Igor Matanovic or someone else entirely?
