Manchester United assessing striker market with Joshua Zirkzee’s summer exit looking increasingly likely | OneFootball

Manchester United are actively looking to sign a striker this summer with Joshua Zirkzee almost guaranteed to leave the Old Trafford club, according to an insider.

The 24-year-old Red Devils forward was out of favour under former managers Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim and has struggled to break into the plans of Michael Carrick.

Zirkzee is open to leaving Man United and the club are planning internal meetings in the coming weeks to prepare for life without the Netherlands international.

The former Bologna star is expected to miss out on his country’s World Cup squad having fallen out of favour at Man United.

He was keen to leave the Theatre of Dreams during the winter transfer window but nothing materialised.

Zirkzee will push for a transfer exit again in the summer from the look of things, which would leave Benjamin Sesko as the only recognised senior striker at the club.

The Red Devils will look to sign another player in the position as they need quality depth in attack next term.

They are just four wins away from securing European football next season and will need more than one senior number 9 to compete effectively across four competitions.

Man United are third in the Premier League table heading into the remaining seven fixtures of the campaign and a strong end to the season will help them qualify for the Champions League.

Playing in the elite European competition will boost their chances of attracting top players to Old Trafford, and the next permanent manager could do with another top striker.

Bryan Mbeumo has been deployed as the number 9 in recent games by Carrick, with Sesko largely playing as a substitute.

Zirkzee has yet to start a game for Man United this year and was an unused substitute in their last two games, and a summer departure suits both parties.