Man Utd’s Joshua Zirkzee transfer alternative emerges after Jim Ratcliffe frustration

Manchester United strengthened their attack with the signing of Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, but they were considering an alternative option until late in the window

Manchester United made five major signings this summer, with striker Joshua Zirkzee the first player to arrive at Old Trafford.

Zirkzee joined from Bologna for £36.5million, with the Dutchman brought in to offer some more firepower after Anthony Martial left the club when his contract expired. However, Zirkzee was not the only forward United were looking at.

According to ESPN, Lille’s Jonathan David was also targeted and the 24-year-old ‘remained a live option right up until Zirkzee was signed’. The report adds that Zirkzee was United’s top target to replace Martial, while Brentford’s Ivan Toney was also shortlisted.

Toney was deemed ‘too expensive’ and ended up completing a £40m move to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli, with the striker banking more than £400,00-a-week after signing a four-year deal that runs until 2028.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has taken full control of football operations after buying a minority stake in the club, is also said to have expressed his frustrations ahead of the FA Cup final that United’s recruitment operations “up to full speed”.

However, United enjoyed a busy transfer window, signing Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte. They also released Martial and Raphael Varane and sold the likes of Mason Greenwood, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Scott McTominay.

Reflecting on the club’s transfer business, sporting director Dan Ashworth said: “We’d already lost two or three key players: Varane, Martial and [Sofyan] Amrabat, from memory had all gone, so there was a centre back, a central midfield player/six, and a centre forward were the key and we felt we probably would need another centre back as well.

“They were the four key positions we really wanted to strengthen in this window and we’ve done that by bringing in Zirkzee, bringing in Ugarte, bringing in Yoro and bringing in De Ligt, so that was the, fundamentally, as I walked in, the pre-agreed positions.

“Partly because of the exits and partly because of the view they were areas we wanted to strengthen our depth and quality. Mazraoui and Wan-Bissaka was one where Aaron had a year left on his contract, had an opportunity to move on, so we were able to freshen it up and trade that position.”

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