Transfer decision, Amorim stance - Joshua Zirkzee Man United future verdict amid exit claims

It only took Joshua Zirkzee 26 minutes to score for Manchester United. It is now over 10-and-a-half hours of game time since then and he hasn't added to his tally.

To say it has been a struggle in the opening few months of his career in England would be an understatement. Zirkzee has already reverted back to being the backup striker to Ramus Hojlund - a spot he was always likely to fill once United's bigger money No.9 returned from injury, and he isn't doing much to change that.

Erik ten Hag, who shares a nationality with Zirkzee and saw him in the youth setup at Bayern Munich, is gone. Ruud van Nistelrooy, another Dutchman, only has two games left as interim head coach before Ruben Amorim arrives.

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Looking at the way Amorim plays at Sporting CP and the dynamic profile of Viktor Gyokeres, it matches up closer to Hojlund than Zirkzee. Now, with on-field issues aside, it has been reported that Ten Hag was left annoyed at Zirkzee's physical state when he arrived at the club over the summer.

Although the decision to sign him was led not by only Ten Hag but by the new-look think-tank in place under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos, suggestions that he has been unable to lose excess weight have emerged. At the same time, the rumour mill claims Zirkzee is on the cards for a transfer back to Italy immediately.

It is written that Amorim has plans beyond Zirkzee and that Juventus and Milan are known admirers of the player. That would only be possible if United were happy to sanction a loan.

Is this actually likely, less than 90 days after moving to Old Trafford for more than £35million, and if not, how do Amorim and Zirkzee get the best out of each other? Here, Manchester Evening News writers discuss their thoughts on the matter.

Tom Coley

It's early days for Zirkzee and reports like this don't help, but it's not time to give up yet. This all seems a little bit convenient. Maybe Ten Hag wasn't too enamoured with the signing, it doesn't need to be the be all and end all, though.

Zirkzee has enough quality in certain areas, for United it is about harnessing the quality in the right space and in the correct way. Maybe, for Amorim, Zirkzee will be better off used as a narrow No.10 rather than an out-and-out striker.

In fact, given the strength of wide players that will need to be given new roles under the incoming boss, Zirzkee arguably makes more sense. It is too soon to send him away again.

A few months is not enough to draw proper judgements. Improvements will be needed, though, otherwise in 12 months talk of a transfer will rear and will be much harder to ignore.

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Jake Stokes

While Zirkzee has struggled to impress, I think he was just miss-profiled by Ten Hag. He shouldn't be leading the frontline by himself unless he's instructed to play the 'Robert Firmino role' with wingers peeling off him and darting in behind.

If Hojlund hadn't missed the start of the season with an injury, perhaps Ten Hag would've got more out of the former Bologna forward. So, under Amorim in a 3-4-2-1, there are two options.

I'd either like to see the Zirkzee and Bruno Fernandes sandwich Hojlund, or Zirkzee leads the frontline with Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho or Amad spinning off him. The Dutchman is a false-nine. He needs to play on the half-turn.

Amie Wilson

It was the perfect start for Zirkzee in a United shirt with a winning goal on his debut, but things seem to have gone down hill from then. However, the talk of an immediate exit from Old Trafford doesn’t really make sense, especially with a new head coach coming in.

While I’m struggling to see exactly where Zirkzee will fit into Amorim’s system, I think he deserves time to try and work under the new boss. For some players it just clicks under a manager, and United will be hoping that it’s the case for Zirkzee under Amorim.

At just 23-years-old the forward still has time to develop and improve his game. Doing that under Amorim at United seems the best option.

The only way I can see United letting him go is if another striker is brought to the club during the January window. In that case, then he could potentially be sent on loan to continue his development and return to Old Trafford in the summer.

Matt Abbott

"I am what I call a false striker. Not a No.9, not a No.10. I am a 9.5." That is how Zirkzee described himself three months after signing for United.

He credited his former Bologna coach, Thiago Motta, for transforming him into that type of player. Zirkzee acknowledged earlier this year: "I'm not a pure centre-forward."

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman also emphasised that during the European Championship. Despite those reminders from his former coaches and the player, Ten Hag failed to get the best out of his compatriot.

Ruben Amorim, though, could be the person who gets the best out of Zirkzee. But even if that does not happen immediately, United have no depth in forward areas to let him leave, especially if it is only on loan.

Jack Flintham

The problem with signing Zirkzee in the summer was that he wasn't what United needed at that time. The Reds needed - and still do require - a proper centre-forward who can be prolific in front of goal.

Of course, United are not the only team in this country, never mind Europe, who need that, so this was bound to be a difficult task. What they signed in Zirkzee is a player who is much better linking up play than he is finishing chances.

This isn't a bad player to have in the ranks and I would be shocked if Amorim takes one look at Zirkzee and thinks there is not a place in his squad for him. However, what the Reds will need is an actual No.9 who can provide competition for Hojlund.

It is way too soon to write Zirkzee off and look to sell him or loan him for that matter. I feel it was a misstep to think that he was the kind of player that United needed at this time.

I personally believe there are players in much graver danger of being sold than Zirkzee but keep pushing the idea of him as a lone striker just won't work. Perhaps he could partner another striker in the forward line or drop him into a deeper position to get the best out of him.