Manchester United set to loan Joshua Zirkzee out and sign 21-year-old forward: Reports
Manchester United are planning to offload Joshua Zirkzee on loan and sign Benjamin Sesko as his replacement, according to TuttoMercatoWeb via Teamtalk. The Red Devils signed the Dutchman from Bologna this summer to address their goalscoring woes.
The English giants managed just 57 goals in 38 games in the Premier League last season, the joint-lowest among the top 10 in the table.
Manchester United allowed Anthony Martial to leave Old Trafford over the summer, and Erik ten Hag opted to rope in Zirkzee to lead the line. However, the 23-year-old has been a disappointment so far, registering just one goal in 11 appearances across all competitions.
The Red Devils also have Rasmus Hojlund in their roster, but the Dane hasn't fare any better either, scoring twice in six appearances.
Manchester United have scored just seven goals in eight games this season in the Premier League and believe that reinforcements are in order. The Red Devils have identified Benjamin Sesko as an option, with the Slovenian in impressive form for RB Leipzig so far.
The 21-year-old has scored six goals and set up three more from 10 outings this season. The player was heavily linked with Arsenal this summer, but opted to sign a new deal with the German club.
However, acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano has already stated that Sesko has a gentleman's agreement with Leipzig and will be allowed to leave for a fair price. The Premier League giants now want to sign him in 2025 and send Zirkzee back to Serie A on loan. Juventus could be a possible destination with former Bologna manager Thiago Motta currently in charge at Turin.
How much will it cost for Manchester United to sack Erik ten Hag?
A recent report from the Football Insider has revealed that Manchester United will have to pay £17m in compensation to sack Erik ten Hag. Such an event could have FFP consequences for the Red Devils and could be a reason why the club haven't sacked their manager yet.
The Dutchman invested heavily in the squad over the summer, but has registered a poor start to the new campaign. Manchester United are 11th in the Premier League after eight games, 10 points behind leaders Liverpool.
The Red Devils secured a hardfought comeback win over Brentford at home on Saturday in the league. Ten Hag will now look to build on that impressive second-half performance, as they prepare to face Fenerbahce on Thursday, October 24, in the Europa League.