Manchester United make decision on Joshua Zirkzee deal, confirms Roma chief

Joshua Zirkzee has been strongly linked with a move to Roma during the transfer window, but Manchester United have ended the possibility of a deal.

The Netherlands international has made 14 Premier League appearances this season, but just four of them have come in the starting XI.

After the summer arrivals of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo the forward had fallen down the pecking order and a January departure became a possibility.

The 24-year-old was regularly linked with a loan move to Roma over the first half of the season, with reports suggesting that he had even agreed the switch to the Serie A side.

There has been a change of heart in Manchester, though, with the Red Devils deciding against letting Zirkzee move to the Italian capital.

Roma’s director of football, Frederic Massara, has spoken out about the situation, saying the Premier League giants have taken a firm stance in recent weeks.

‘Manchester United said no quite clearly a couple of weeks ago and they have not changed their minds,’ he said via the BBC.

Manchester United took their stance on Zirkzee amid the uncertainty in the dugout over January as Ruben Amorim was sacked, replaced by caretaker Darren Fletcher, who has now been replaced by interim boss Michael Carrick.

After an impressive 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday, Carrick’s options in attack actually look quite good, with Mbeumo and Amad back from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Sesko, who had shown good goal-scoring form under Fletcher, was an unused substitute in the rousing victory at Old Trafford.

With nearly two weeks left of the transfer window, there remains the possibility that Manchester United could change their stance on Zirkzee and decide he is surplus to requirements, especially as they only have Premier League football for the rest of the season.

The Dutchman missed the win over Manchester City, but it was due to a knock and not any ongoing transfer business.

Roma have made moves away from Zirkzee, signing Donyell Malen from Aston Villa and Robinio Vaz from Marseille.

Of their new arrivals, Massara said: ‘These are two strong players, obviously one is a young talent with prospects, the other is an international who already has a name on the European stage.

‘There are still 15 days left of the transfer window and we’ll try to be ready for any opportunities, but we’ll have to see how the situation evolves.’