Zirkzee has many suitors in Italy

Joshua Zirkzee will be the star of the January transfer window in Italy. The Dutch striker failed to find his place Manchester United—just like dozens of players before him since the departure of Alex Ferguson—but he is still a very appealing option for major Serie A clubs whose executives remember his performances in a Bologna shirt very well. Roma, Milan, and Napoli are all interested in Zirkzee. Each of the mentioned clubs has its advantages and drawbacks in the race for the United striker. From a football standpoint and considering Zirkzee’s potential ambition to be on the list of passengers of Dutch national team coach Ronald Koeman for the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, Roma would be the best solution.

Besides the fact that the Giallorossi desperately need a striker—and that he would therefore get plenty of minutes due to the lack of competition—Gian Piero Gasperini is a coach who has revitalized many attackers over his career, from Diego Milito and Rodrigo Palacio at Genoa, to Duvan Zapata, Luis Muriel, Papu Gomez, and later Mateo Retegui and Gianluca Scamacca. Roma have also moved earlier than others in negotiations with United and the player. The Dutchman would gladly join Roma; truth be told, Zirkzee would gladly return to Italy in general, but the problem is Manchester United’s firm stance that Joshua can leave only for cash or on a loan with an obligatory purchase clause after six months. Roma’s sporting director, Ricky Massara, held direct talks on Wednesday and Thursday with his United counterparts about Zirkzee’s transfer.

Imagine the earthquake it would cause if Dybala returned to Argentina – it’s possible

Roma’s obstacle is money and UEFA’s financial fair play. The Romans can only take Zirkzee on loan with a purchase option—or possibly agree to a conditional obligation to buy if they qualify for the Champions League. Milan are in a far better financial position than Roma, but the Rossoneri must first sell Santiago Gimenez before they can buy Zirkzee. If they find a club for the Mexican forward, Milan could even pay United the agreed sum for the striker’s transfer immediately. Potential issues—beyond the uncertainty of when Gimenez could be settled into a new environment—stem from the fact that Zirkzee would not be a starter at Milan if Massimiliano Allegri continues playing with a 3-5-2 formation. Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic are untouchable for Allegri, and only in case of their injuries could Zirkzee start matches for the Rossoneri. Of course, there remains the option that Allegri changes the formation so that all three could play together. Another drawback from Zirkzee’s perspective is that Milan are playing only in the league this season.

Napoli must also be taken seriously. The Azzurri are searching for a club for Lorenzo Lucca. The Italian striker failed to convince Antonio Conte during his first five months in Castel Volturno and has already been placed on the transfer list. Interestingly, both Roma and Milan are interested in Lucca as well—but only as a second or even third option. In other words, the Giallorossi and Rossoneri might knock on Napoli’s door only at the end of the transfer window if they still haven't found the right solution for their main striker.

Man Utd hold Zirkzee hostage: Serie A heavyweights beg for his January release

At Napoli, Zirkzee could play in several positions, whether in a 3-4-2-1, 4-2-3-1, or 4-3-3 setup. Besides being the main striker, the Dutchman can also play as a second striker or even as an attacking midfielder. Napoli and Milan can also point to the positive experiences of players who swaped England for Italy. Napoli built their title-winning season on revitalized players bought from English clubs—from Anguissa and Scott McTominay to Romelu Lukaku. Milan also have several key players who arrived from the Premier League, from Fikayo Tomori and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Christian Pulisic. So, Joshua Zirkzee would not be taking an untested path but a well-trodden one—especially since he already has Serie A experience.

SERIE A ROUND 15

Friday

22.45: (2.50) Lecce (2.90) Pisa (3.35)

Saturday

17.00: (2.00) Torino (3.50) Cremonese (4.20)

20.00: (3.80) Parma (3.35) Lazio (2.15)

22.45: (1.37) Atalanta (4.80) Cagliari (9.00)

Sunday

14.30: (1.45) Milan (4.70) Sassuolo (8.00)

17.00: (1.90) Fiorentina (3.50) Verona (4.60)

17.00: (4.70) Udinese (3.50) Napoli (1.90)

20.00: (6.50) Genoa (4.20) Inter (1.53)

22.45: (3.00) Bologna (3.25) Juventus (2.60)

Monday

22.45: (2.15) Roma (3.30) Como (3.50)

* odds are subject to change