Michael Carrick's Manchester United wrapped up their pre-season with a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on Saturday, where new signing Andrey Santos started. Joshua Zirkzee entered as a substitute in the 73rd minute, but his future at the club is now the subject of strong speculation.
Zirkzee 'agrees' to Juventus loan
Reports in Italy claim Zirkzee has agreed to join Juventus on loan without an obligation to buy. The Dutch striker does not appear to be part of Carrick's first-team plans at Old Trafford.
United signed Zirkzee for £36m in 2024, making him the first arrival of the INEOS era, but he fell behind Benjamin Sesko in the pecking order last season. He previously played for Bologna.
The Manchester Evening News understands Zirkzee has proven difficult to offload, and after failing to make an impact at United, a loan exit is far more likely, either with or without an option to buy. La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Zirkzee has already said yes to Juventus, though the move depends on Juventus offloading striker Jonathan David.
Myles Lewis-Skelly boost
United were linked with Myles Lewis-Skelly last year when he slipped down Arsenal's left-back pecking order, with Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie preferred. That issue was addressed when Mikel Arteta moved the 19-year-old into midfield, where he impressed.
However, Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes is due to have a medical at Arsenal on Monday, according to The Times. If the Brazilian seals the move, he becomes another player Lewis-Skelly must compete with for first-team opportunities. His reported £80m fee would also leave a significant mark.
Any fee Arsenal receive from selling Lewis-Skelly would count as pure profit under Financial Fair Play regulations, so a suitable offer from United could be tempting. The Independent reports United are waiting to learn whether Arsenal will negotiate, with their interest remaining firm.
