MID-JANUARY UPDATE: AS ROMA EXPECTS JOSHUA ZIRKZEE ARRIVAL ONCE AMAD RETURNS FROM AFCON DUTY
Joshua Zirkzee has reportedly agreed to join AS Roma in January. Ruben Amorim warns that no one leaves United without a replacement.
Joshua Zirkzee has told AS Roma yes and is set to join them in January, if you believe the Italian press.
Zirkzee, who's 24, made a big splash when he came to Old Trafford in the summer of 2024. His £36.5 million transfer on a five-year contract was the first big move under the new Sir Jim Ratcliffe ownership.
Back then, Erik ten Hag was in charge, and Zirkzee was brought in to try and add some firepower to a struggling attack. The team had only managed 57 Premier League goals in the 2023-24 season.
But things didn't pan out as planned. Last season, the forward only managed seven goals in 49 games. And since Ruben Amorim took over from Ten Hag last November, Zirkzee hasn't been getting much playing time.
As Daily Mail Sport said before, he wants to get more game time ahead of next summer's World Cup, so he is checking out other teams.
La Gazzetta dello Sport says the Dutch player had good chats with Roma's sporting director, Ricky Massara, and coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, which led to him agreeing to the switch.
Apparently, Gasperini told Zirkzee he'd fit right into his 3-4-2-1 setup, which he made famous at Atalanta, playing in any of the front three positions.
The Italian paper also says Zirkzee should be in Rome by mid-January. By that time, United should have Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo back after the AFCON tournament.
Don't think it'll be easy, though. Amorim has said nobody leaves Old Trafford unless they bring in someone to take their spot.
It's going to be hard for someone to leave if we don't get a substitution, the United boss said.
We are short. Even with the full squad, we are short for something that can happen.
We are a club with a big responsibility… we need to win every game. There are no excuses.
Roma is supposedly trying to work out a six-month loan first and then buy Zirkzee in the summer for around £35 million. That would mean United gets most of its money back.
If this goes ahead, Zirkzee might not be the only United player heading to Italy. Kobbie Mainoo is also interested in a move to Napoli, where Scott McTominay is doing well.
But Amorim still thinks the young midfielder has a future at Old Trafford.
Kobbie Mainoo will have the chance, Amorim said. He's going to be the future of Manchester United; that's how I feel. He just needs to wait for his chance, and things can change in football fast.
Napoli seems to be in the lead for Mainoo. But United isn't too keen on short-term replacements in January and might wait until the summer to bring in a new midfielder.
They are keeping an eye on Everton's James Garner, who is entering the last six months of his contract.
Daily Mail Sport also mentioned that Garner, who came up through United's youth system, is seen as a cheap option to add alongside bigger signings in the summer, with Elliot Anderson being their main midfield target.
GARETH BARRY URGES MANCHESTER UNITED TO SIGN ELLIOT ANDERSON FOR £100M
Gareth Barry identifies Elliot Anderson as the ideal Casemiro replacement as the Brazilian prepares to leave Man Utd.
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Gareth Barry, the former Premier League midfielder, thinks Manchester United should target Elliot Anderson to take Casemiro’s place. Casemiro, now 34, already said he’s leaving Old Trafford when his contract ends this summer.
United’s decision not to extend Casemiro’s deal fits with their plan to shake up the squad. They paid Real Madrid an initial £60 million for him in 2022, and with add-ons, the deal reached £70 million. Casemiro’s on big wages around £300,000 a week, which gets closer to £350,000 if United make the Champions League. There’s also uncertainty about Manuel Ugarte’s future. With both potentially on the way out, plenty of names are being floated as replacements.
Carlos Baleba, Sandro Tonali, and Adam Wharton are all in the conversation, but Barry sees Anderson as the best option.
Talking to BOYLE Sports, Barry explained, “Manchester United will definitely be searching for someone to fill Casemiro’s shoes. Anderson isn’t the same kind of player, and there’s a big age difference, too. What he brings is pretty unique.
“I really rate Elliot Anderson. If you’re a United scout, you’re talking about him. Off the ball, there aren’t many better. He presses, he shuts down space, and he’s great at winning the ball back. Plus, he can play forward too.
“That’s why Thomas Tuchel starts him for England over some big names, and why he could easily start at the World Cup. I’m sure he’s getting discussed in various boardrooms, not just at Manchester United.
“If a move’s going to happen, it’s better to get it over the line quickly. It just makes everything smoother for both clubs and the player, especially with a big tournament coming up.”
Barry added, “No one wants uncertainty hanging over Anderson while he’s focused on England at the World Cup. It doesn’t help anyone. And if he has a standout tournament, his price could easily go up.
“So if everyone agrees it’s time for a move, getting the deal sorted before the World Cup just makes sense.”
Even so, Nottingham Forest won’t be keen to let Anderson go. Since joining Newcastle in 2024, he’s become a vital part of their midfield. Forest supposedly set its price at £100 million, but their relegation fight could change things. Right now, Vitor Pereira’s squad sits 16th in the table, just three points clear of the drop zone with seven games to play. names and
FA CHARGES HARRY MAGUIRE FOR "IMPROPER BEHAVIOR" FOLLOWING COSTLY BOURNEMOUTH DISMISSAL
Michael Carrick’s side faces a defensive crisis as Harry Maguire is charged by the FA for improper conduct.
Harry Maguire has been charged by the Football Association over his conduct following the red card he received in Manchester United’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth.
The defender was sent off after officials judged that he pulled back Evanilson inside the penalty area during their Premier League meeting last month. Maguire challenged the decision with both referee Stuart Atwell and fourth official Matt Donohue once VAR confirmed the call.
That penalty allowed Junior Kroupi to score the equaliser, helping Bournemouth claw back a point against Michael Carrick’s side.
According to an FA statement, Maguire faces charges relating to improper behaviour and/or the use of abusive or insulting language towards the fourth official after his dismissal. He has until April 2 to respond to these allegations.
As things stand, Maguire is due to serve a one-match ban for the red card, which would rule him out of Manchester United's game against Leeds at Old Trafford on April 13. If his ban is extended following this charge, he could also miss the clash with Chelsea on April 18, an encounter that could be crucial, given United sit third and hold a seven-point cushion over sixth-placed Chelsea in the battle for Champions League spots.
Earlier, Daily Mail Sport reported that Manchester United lodged a formal complaint with the PGMOL after the Bournemouth draw. The club were particularly frustrated over a denied second penalty, where Amad Diallo appeared to be brought down in the box while they led 1-0. Bournemouth then equalised through Ryan Christie in the ensuing play, and a VAR review did not overturn the decision, which may have swung momentum considerably.
Inside the United camp, there’s a sense that Maguire’s foul, which led to Bournemouth's second equaliser, mirrored the unpunished challenge on Diallo involving Adrien Truffert. That comparison fuels their belief that some decisions during the game didn’t go their way.
