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Manchester United put loads of time, vitality and cash into beefing up their attacking choices over the summer time.
Regardless of dropping 1-0 to Arsenal yesterday the rejuvenated frontline seemed promising, with new signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha entertaining the Previous Trafford crowd and newest arrival Benjamin Sesko getting some precious minutes below his belt.
Even Mason Mount performed properly on the left of the entrance three, and may he achieve some momentum he can be one thing like a brand new signing having did not make a lot of an impression since becoming a member of from Chelsea two years in the past.
Altering of the guard
The inflow of recent attacking expertise appears to be like set to assert its first sufferer in Rasmus Hojlund, the misfiring quantity 9 who managed solely 4 Premier League objectives final season.
Sesko, signed in a deal which may attain over £70m, is a like-for-like substitute and the truth that Hojlund didn’t make the matchday squad towards Arsenal signifies that he not has a spot in Ruben Amorim’s squad. The younger Dane is considered on his option to AC Milan.
United’s different centre-forward choice final season, Joshua Zirkzee, additionally struggled for objectives throughout his debut marketing campaign at Previous Trafford, however grew into himself over the course of the season and was a giant loss when sidelined by damage in the direction of the top.
He may count on to see his minutes restricted with the recruitment of a brand-new entrance three and fewer aggressive matches to play than final season because of the lack of European soccer, and reviews in Italy declare he has appeared on the radar of Serie A giants Napoli.
Napoli curiosity in Zirkzee
Napoli had been richly rewarded final time they purchased a participant from United, with Scott McTominay making the swap and turning into the driving drive of their Serie A triumph.
However their title defence has taken a hammer blow with foremost striker Romelu Lukaku injured in a pleasant simply days earlier than the brand new season will get underway.
As such Antonio Conte’s aspect are scrambling for a brand new striker, regardless of already signing a brand new one in Lorenzo Lucca earlier this 12 months, and Zirkzee’s title has appeared on their checklist.
Corriere dello Sport are clear that Napoli are simply in search of a mortgage, and that the extent of Lukaku’s damage continues to be being assessed, however the champions are losing no time assessing their choices.
“Previous favorite” Zirkzee has beforehand attracted curiosity from the membership, and the report notes that his taking part in time is prone to be restricted at Previous Trafford this season.
Zirkzee “is aware of the Italian league, continues to be value quite a bit, however has inevitably depreciated”, and CdS add that he can be reunited with former Bologna teammate Sam Beukema and Dutch worldwide Noa Lang.
He’s one among 4 choices into account, together with Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, Roma’s Artem Dovbyk and Lecce’s Nikola Krstovic.
Conte’s favorite
The story is already gathering tempo, with Italian journalist Marco Conterio calling Zirkzee Conte’s “favorite”, and suggesting the previous Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss favours United’s Dutch ahead as a result of he may play as a winger.
Conterio throws two extra options into the combination in Sassuolo’s Andrea Pinamonti and Cagliari’s Roberto Piccoli.
🚨🔵 Il #Napoli corre ai ripari dopo il ko di Romelu Lukaku: il preferito di Conte è Joshua Zirkzee
Il tecnico salentino ha chiesto l’olandese del #MUFC perché può fare anche l’esterno. Visto il lungo cease che rischia il belga, il ds Manna nelle ultime ore ha ricevuto tante… pic.twitter.com/MucNBsCOAk
— Marco Conterio (@marcoconterio) August 18, 2025
United would probably be reluctant to half with Zirkzee, who progressively discovered type and would hyperlink up properly with the brand new crop of attackers. In contrast to Hojlund there was no severe discuss of an exit this summer time due to the brand new recruits, and the rumours that he was already on the switch checklist rapidly died down.
A straight mortgage with no purchase choice might be a risk-free means of retaining maintain of the 24-year-old however giving him extra minutes, however there’s no assure that when Lukaku returns to health he wouldn’t spend a lot of the season sat on the bench in Naples.
Featured picture Carl Recine through Getty Photos
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