Man Utd reach huge January decision over £36.5m star as Amorim masterclass pays dividends

Ruben Amorim has made it clear to the Manchester United board that he does not want to offload Joshua Zirkzee in January and believes the Dutchman has now earned the right to prove his worth to the club – while the Portuguese’s thoughts on letting Kobbie Mainoo move on can also be revealed.

The Dutch forward has not had an easy time of things since moving to Old Trafford in a £36.5m (€42.5m, $49.5m) deal from Bolonga in summer 2024. While he scored on his debut, a 1-0 win over Fulham at the start of the 2024/25 campaign, Zirkzee has netted only eight times in his 56 appearances for United, while just three assists show he’s not really good enough to play as a No.10 either.

However, the 24-year-old spent the recent international break preparing for his big opportunity in the team as Manchester United reacted to Benjamin Sesko’s injury.

Amorim has always admired Zirkzee on a technical level, but has been unsure how to fit him into the team’s plan.

However, after spending a lot of time coaching the player and working on his game in a programme designed to not just work out his role for the club but how they could unlock his full potential within the current set-up, United and Amorim are now starting to see their efforts bear fruit.

And while Zirkzee has been linked with a move away – and Roma are confirmed admirers of the player and are very much open to a January deal if an arrangement could be agreed – this spell was always viewed as a pivotal period in determining his future.

If it had gone badly, then United were willing to open up to a departure. However, he scored a good goal in the 2-1 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday, and sources are now suggesting that Amorim is now very much keen to keep him for the rest of the season.

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Amorim and Zirkzee; what next for Kobbie Mainoo?

An exit has never been pushed by the boss because he is concerned about the lack of depth and likes the fact that Zirkzee understands his game plans.

And with Zirkzee on the scoresheet and helping United overturn a 1-0 half-time deficit to win 2-1 at Selhurst Park, Amorim was quick to praise the Netherlands international.

“I think we have more intensity in the second half, we played better in the second half and the opponent in the second half was more tired. Everything was connected,” Amorim began on TNT Sports, before turning his focus to Zirkzee: “It’s so important for the strikers to score goals. He’s not playing many minutes but the way he responds in the second half is so important.

“It is more important than just the goals. Again, the small details, win the first ball, so we can win the second ball, the connection, that is so important for our game. And the goal is really important for us and for him.”

The game also saw Kobbie Mainoo enter the action as a 90th-minute substitute, meaning he has still only played 170 minutes of action in the Premier League this season – and all eight of his appearances have come off the bench, with none as a starter.

Also strongly linked with a January departure, the midfielder still faces a fight to get a move to another team in January, with Amorim only willing to sanction his exit if a replacement is signed first.

Zirkzee, meanwhile, had played just 82 minutes combined across this Premier League season leading into the last international break, but has played the full 90 minutes of their last two games.

As a result, Amorim is aware that it only takes one injury for the situation to change; hence the manager’s unwillingness to let the 20-year-old midfielder leave without a fight.

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Latest Man Utd news: Conor Gallagher hope; shock Semenyo claims

On the subject of potential new midfielders, United have been given a golden opportunity to sign Atletico Madrid star Conor Gallagher, as speculation ramps up over a potential January switch to Old Trafford.

As reported by TEAMtalk transfer insider Fraser Fletcher, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson top the shortlist.

But the trio will all command fees north of £70m, perhaps even as high as £100m, so their potential signings will likely have to wait until next summer.

Wharton, meanwhile, showcased exactly why United should move for him with an outstanding first-half display in Palace’s 2-1 defeat to the Red Devils, and with sources able to shed light on the likelihood of a switch to Old Trafford.

In other news, a shock report claims United have presented a ‘contract offer’ to Antoine Semenyo, after holding a meeting with his representatives on Wednesday last week.

Liverpool are still considered frontrunners to sign the Bournemouth winger, but Amorim is a big admirer of his.