Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly considering a move away from the club in January, as reported by Calciomercato. The 23-year-old, who joined Old Trafford in July for a fee of £36.5 million from Bologna, is said to be keen on returning to Italy.
While AC Milan no longer has interest in acquiring the Netherlands international, Juventus is among the clubs that could pursue Zirkzee. He fits the profile of the type of forward the Turin club is looking for, which could open the door for a potential transfer.
According to the Italian outlet, a loan move could materialize in January. However, it remains uncertain whether Manchester United would agree to let Zirkzee depart without securing a replacement first. His current record of one goal in 11 matches across all competitions this season has marked a challenging start to his time in England.
Zirkzee's recent struggles have also seen him lose his spot in manager Erik ten Hag's starting XI to Rasmus Højlund, who notably scored the winning goal in Saturday's 2-1 comeback victory over Brentford. As the January transfer window approaches, Zirkzee's situation at United will be closely watched, particularly given his desire to find regular playing time and potentially return to the Serie A.
Major League Soccer (MLS) has introduced a groundbreaking 'cash-for-player' trade mechanism, allowing clubs to directly purchase players from other teams within the league.
This initiative aims to retain top talent domestically and enhance the fluidity of player movements.
As MLS's senior vice president of player relations and competition, Jeff Agoos, explained, "The structure of the cash-for-player trades was really designed to put the trade on the same footing as a transfer out, so you could compare and contrast and decide which one would be better."
This policy shift has already led to significant transactions.
Notably, FC Dallas acquired Argentine midfielder Luciano Acosta from FC Cincinnati for $5 million, with potential performance-based incentives adding up to $1 million.
FC Dallas President Dan Hunt emphasised the club's ambition, stating, "This is a landmark signing for FC Dallas and a statement of our commitment to building a championship-caliber team."
Similarly, Houston Dynamo FC secured midfielder Jack McGlynn from the Philadelphia Union in a historic deal, marking the first cash-for-homegrown player trade in MLS history.
Pat Onstad, Houston Dynamo's president of soccer, praised McGlynn's fit for their style, noting, "Jack is a talented young player who fits our possession-oriented style of play."
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