Manchester United have decided that striker Joshua Zirkzee will remain at the club during the current transfer window, despite interest from Everton and three Italian sides.
The 25-year-old Netherlands forward will not be allowed to leave at the transfer deadline, with the club’s leadership informing people close to the player that he remains part of their plans. The decision means Manchester United have rejected the possibility of a late departure for Zirkzee.
Everton had expressed an interest in signing the striker, but Manchester United immediately turned down the approach. According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, the Manchester club made its position clear to Zirkzee’s representatives and wider entourage before the window closes.
The decision also ends, for now, speculation linking Zirkzee with a move to Italy. Napoli, Juventus and Fiorentina had all shown an interest in the forward, but none of those clubs will be able to take advantage of the player’s availability during the current window.
Zirkzee’s contract at Manchester United runs until the middle of 2029. His market value is estimated at €20m by Transfermarkt, although Manchester United have chosen to retain him rather than consider a transfer before the deadline.
The club’s response to Everton indicates that there is no intention to sanction a departure, even with interest arriving from elsewhere. The striker is therefore set to continue as a Manchester United player beyond the close of the window.
The Netherlands international joined Manchester United under a long-term agreement, and the length of his contract gives the club control over his future. While Napoli, Juventus and Fiorentina have all been credited with an interest, Manchester United’s current position is that Zirkzee is staying.
His immediate future had become a subject of transfer discussion after Everton made their interest known. However, the Premier League club’s refusal was followed by a final decision from Manchester United’s hierarchy: Zirkzee will not leave before the deadline.
That stance has also been communicated to those around the player, according to Romano. Unless the club changes its position, the striker will remain at Old Trafford and continue under the terms of his contract, which extends to 2029.
For now, the interest from Everton and the Italian clubs has not altered Manchester United’s plans. Zirkzee’s market valuation of €20m, as recorded by Transfermarkt, provides an indication of his current worth, but it will not lead to a transfer during this window.