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Manchester United are reportedly already willing to shift summer signing Joshua Zirkzee to create room to sign long-term target Benjamin Sesko.
Tuttojuve (as relayed by TBR Football) reveals the Red Devils are “moving” towards an approach for the Red Bull Leipzig striker who is one of the most highly-rated youngsters in European football; and they appear willing to sacrifice Zirkzee in order to do.
Zirkzee, 23, was signed from Bologna in the summer as Old Trafford officials sought to buttress the team’s misfiring forward line. The club even agreed to pay beyond the Dutch international’s release clause with the Serie A side in order to facilitate a deal with a more favourable long-term payment structure.
Zirkzee’s contract included a €40 million release clause but United executives struck a €42.5 million price with their Italian counterparts to enable the club to navigate their difficult financial fair play position.
And while the 23-year-old began life in Manchester with a bang, scoring a late winner on the opening day against Fulham, Zirkzee has quickly gone from hero to zero in the following months.
The forward has proved ineffective in front of goal, squandering a number of easy chances at crucial moments for his new club. He has also looked laboured in and out of possession, appearing to be struggling to adapt to the rigours of English football.
It’s even reported that Zirkzee was not the club’s first-choice target up front in the summer.
Rather, United explored a deal for Sesko but were unsuccessful in their approach, before having to settle for the Bologna forward. And now Italian media is reporting the Red Devils are willing to move to rectify this choice, only four months into Zirkzee’s career in Manchester.
Tuttojuve contend United may look to loan Zirkzee back to Serie A with Juventus mooted as a potential landing spot.
This would then enable the club to renew their pursuit of Sesko with reports suggesting the Slovenian international will be available for a transfer from Leipzig next summer.
The 21-year-old striker penned a new deal with the German club a few months ago which “removed a €65million (£54million) release clause that was in the previous contract.” As per TeamTalk, sources reveal there is a “new release clause in place but he also has a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Leipzig that could allow him to leave the club in 2025.”
It’s perhaps this new arrangement which has reignited hope at Old Trafford that a transfer for Sesko may now succeed where in the summer it failed.
But to facilitate the move by giving up on a new signing in the form of Zirzkee so soon after he arrived would represent a ruthless approach by United, though INEOS – who gained full control over the football operation at the club in February – have shown they are willing to pull out all the stops to secure a target they deem essential.
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