Manchester United are interested in ending Joshua Zirkzee’s nightmare spell at Old Trafford in January by offering him to Juventus in exchange for midfielder Douglas Luiz, according to Tutto Juve.
Zirkzee joined the club from Serie A side Bologna in the summer in a deal worth £36.5m, but he has managed just one goal in 18 appearances this season and has seemingly been reduced to a bit-part role under new manager Ruben Amorim and that has seen him potentially look for a way out in the new year.
Reports have suggested that Juventus are keen to take him back to Italy, and Man Utd are now keen to act on that interest by making their own move to strengthen their midfield with former Aston Villa star Luiz – who has struggled to settle in Italy since his move to the club in the summer.
Luiz, who has been described as “world-class”, headed to Turin during the summer in a series of deals with Aston Villa as both clubs looked to deal with PSR issues, as Juventus allowed Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenchea to move in the opposite direction, but new manager Thiago Motta hasn’t relied much on the Brazil international and it’s now believed that he could leave in January.
Man United were interested in signing him previously during his time at Villa Park, where he scored 20 Premier League goals in 175 appearances, and they are now preparing an offer that would see Zirkzee head to Turin in exchange for Luiz, with both clubs cutting their losses just months after splashing the cash.
The report doesn’t indicate the willingness of Juventus to take part in the deal, or whether Luiz would be open to returning to the Premier League so quickly after leaving, but Amorim is likely to be keen to strengthen the midfield if given the opportunity.
Fabrizio Romano has previously reported that Christian Eriksen is expected to leave when his contract expires in 2025, but the player could potentially move on in January if a bid is received with Amorim keen to have more intensity in his team.
As for Zirkzee, the striker is said to be unhappy and has asked his agents to search for a new club, so he could push to make this happen himself.
