Fiorentina Negotiates Joshua Zirkzee Loan from Manchester United

Fiorentina have opened negotiations with Manchester United over a deal to take Joshua Zirkzee on loan, with an option to buy at the end of the season.

The Italian club are working on an agreement that would see the Netherlands forward move to Serie A until next summer, with the possibility of making the transfer permanent in 2026. Discussions are described as ongoing rather than advanced, but there is growing confidence on all sides that a deal can be struck before the 1 September deadline.

Crucially, Zirkzee is open to the switch. The 25-year-old, who still has three years left on his United contract, is ready to leave Old Trafford in search of regular football after two stop-start seasons in England.

United signed Zirkzee from Bologna in 2024 for £36.5m after he lit up Serie A and collected the league’s Under-23 player of the season award for 2023-24. He announced himself quickly in Manchester, scoring on his debut in a 1-0 win over Fulham, and arrived with the profile of a long-term attacking solution.

The breakthrough never quite followed. Across two campaigns, Zirkzee has made 75 appearances in all competitions but only 27 starts, often used as a rotation option rather than a focal point. Last season underlined his struggle to nail down a place: just five Premier League starts in 2025-26 and nine goals in total for the club.

With competition fierce in United’s forward line and minutes limited, Fiorentina sense an opportunity. United, for their part, are open to a structure that protects their investment while giving Zirkzee the platform he has lacked.

The clock is ticking towards deadline day. For Fiorentina, it is a chance to bring back a proven talent to Serie A. For Zirkzee, it looks increasingly like a necessary step to restart a career that has stalled on the fringes at Old Trafford.