Joshua Zirkzee’s winter plans may have just flipped. The Manchester United forward was widely expected to push for a move in January after a barren first three months under Ruben Amorim. But Benjamin Sesko’s knee injury against Tottenham Hotspur has opened a door Zirkzee cannot ignore and one United may now need him to walk through.
West Ham United have explored a deal, with the 24-year-old on a striker shortlist for Nuno Espirito Santo. Even so, timing has turned. With United short in attack and braced for Africa Cup of Nations absences later in December, a mid-season exit is drifting from plausible to unlikely.
The Dutchman’s situation has been frustrating. Since arriving from Bologna last year, his minutes have dwindled: only 90 across five appearances so far this season. Yet interest has never gone away. Now, circumstance, rather than a fresh audition could hand him the lifeline that resets his Old Trafford trajectory.
Joshua Zirkzee Manchester United lifeline
The Sesko setback matters. United need bodies and variety up front, and Zirkzee offers both. He can play as a nine or drift as a second forward, link play, and give Amorim a different reference point when matches tighten. Crucially, he is available now, knows the squad, and costs no fee to integrate. That combination is hard to beat in January.
There is also a calendar crunch. With Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo due to miss several weeks for AFCON, United’s attacking depth will thin further. Retaining Zirkzee through the winter covers minutes, protects training quality, and buys time while Sesko recovers.
West Ham hold Joshua Zirkzee interest
Jarrod Bowen has carried too much of the scoring load, Niclas Füllkrug’s future is cloudy, and the Hammers want a versatile forward who can play across the front. Zirkzee fits that brief and has long appealed. They have also looked at other strikers including high-profile options as they triage a January rebuild.
But interest only becomes action if the seller plays ball. Right now, Manchester United are reluctant to sanction a deal. As it stands, the plan points toward keeping Zirkzee and reassessing once the squad picture stabilises.
Why a January exit is unlikely for Zirkzee
Three factors stack the odds against a move. First, injuries: Sesko’s knee issue reduces United’s margin for error. Second, availability: AFCON will take further options off the board for several weeks. Third, form and role: Amorim has not had a long look at a match-ready Zirkzee in this system; withdrawing him now would close off a potentially useful in-house solution.
For the player, the equation shifts from “minutes elsewhere” to “minutes now.” A run through winter even as a rotation piece could be the platform he has been waiting for.
