Serie A club in negotiations with Manchester United over January signing of “unbelievable” international star

Manchester United's Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt. (Reuters/John Sibley)

Manchester United returned to winning ways on Monday night with an emphatic 4–1 victory over a struggling Wolves side.

A Bruno Fernandes brace, along with goals from Mason Mount and Bryan Mbeumo, ensured a comfortable three points and lifted United up to sixth in the Premier League — a dramatic improvement on last season’s issues.

However, one player who barely featured in the win was Joshua Zirkzee.

The Dutch international was restricted to just five minutes, replacing Mount late on, and his continued absence from the starting XI has raised eyebrows.

Now, it appears those brief cameos may soon come to an end.

According to Sky Sport Italia, Roma have already initiated discussions with Manchester United over a potential January deal for Zirkzee, with the outlet reporting that “negotiations are ongoing — there’s daily dialogue.”

Roma are preparing for a major reshuffle of their attack next month. The Serie A side are expected to cut short Evan Ferguson’s loan and return him to Brighton, with the club wanting a more reliable long-term option through the middle.

United, for their part, are leaning toward a permanent sale. The club wants to raise funds for midfield reinforcements and have concluded that Zirkzee is not suited to Ruben Amorim’s tactical approach. Although highly rated during his Bologna spell, the 24-year-old has struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford.

Roma, however, are attempting to structure the deal differently. Their preferred formula is a loan with a conditional option to buy, influenced by both Financial Fair Play limitations and their reluctance to commit to a major outlay in mid-season.

Zirkzee’s numbers have not helped his case. Since joining United, he has scored just eight goals in 58 appearances — and only once this season.

His struggles have sparked criticism, including from former Premier League midfielder Jamie O’Hara, who said it is “unbelievable” that Zirkzee is playing for United at all, describing him as “one of the worst players I’ve ever seen in a Manchester United shirt.”

With Roma pushing and United ready to cash in, a January exit now looks increasingly likely.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.