Joshua Zirkzee loan talks with Fiorentina

Joshua Zirkzee could be on the move again, with Fiorentina in talks to take the Manchester United forward on loan with an option to buy.

The Serie A club are negotiating a deal that would see the Netherlands international join until the end of the season, with the possibility of making the transfer permanent next summer. United are open to his departure, and the player is ready to make the switch to Florence.

There is still work to do. Those involved do not consider an agreement close yet, but there is genuine optimism that a deal can be thrashed out before the 1 September transfer deadline.

For Zirkzee, it would be a familiar league and a fresh start.

He arrived at Old Trafford from Bologna in 2024 for £36.5m, having just been named Serie A's Under-23 Player of the Season for 2023-24. He announced himself quickly in England, scoring on his debut in a 1-0 win over Fulham and hinting at a long-term role in United’s attack.

That promise never fully turned into permanence.

Across two seasons he has managed 75 appearances but only 27 starts, struggling to nail down a regular place in the starting XI. Last season underlined the problem: just five Premier League starts in 2025-26, and nine goals in all competitions since his arrival.

At 25, with three years still left on his United contract, Zirkzee sits at a crossroads. United need clarity in their forward line; Fiorentina need a focal point with upside. The structure on the table — a loan now, an option to buy later — reflects that shared hesitation and shared opportunity.

If the clubs can finally align on the numbers, a career that has stalled in Manchester might yet be reignited under the Tuscan sun.