Report: Man United star could be set for January exit with European giants interested

United Search For Rhythm Stalls Again

Manchester United wanted a night of progress, something symbolic to mark the anniversary of Ruben Amorim’s arrival. Instead, they walked away from Old Trafford with anxiety thick in the air after a 1-0 loss to an Everton side reduced to ten men. Moments like this shape seasons, and this one carried a feeling that the club’s search for identity remains unfinished.

Everton deserve acknowledgement, as the Daily Mail highlighted. Their defensive resilience carried them through, anchored by Jordan Pickford who produced two outstanding saves from Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Zirkzee. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s decisive strike offered the visitors belief, and they clung onto it with admirable commitment.

Yet the focus inevitably rests on United and a performance that left supporters restless. A five-game unbeaten run evaporated. Momentum dissolved. Questions gathered.

Zirkzee’s Struggle For Impact

Joshua Zirkzee has been a puzzle since he arrived from Bologna, and the Daily Mail’s analysis underscored a difficult night for a striker still searching for a clear identity at United.

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His return to the starting line-up was designed as an opportunity. A first start of the season, a chance to push ahead of competitors and impress ahead of international commitments. What followed instead was a reminder of the challenges he continues to face.

He is quoted in the report as an “odd fit”, and that assessment feels fair in the context of Amorim’s system. The 3-4-2-1 shape requires precision, movement, firmness in duels and the positional sense of someone attuned to the role. Zirkzee offered flickers, including a fine header that Pickford clawed away, but the essence of United’s attacking presence was missing.

His duel with James Tarkowski was revealing, exposing a lack of physicality that undermined his ability to stretch Everton’s defence. It was a mis-match, and the kind that fuels debate over how United plan to evolve their forward line.

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Amorim admitted after the defeat: “Of course, when you have more players with different characteristics, especially with Cunha or Ben, you have more options to score goals, especially against low blocks where there is no space.”

There is intent within those words, but also realism. The manager knows his system thrives on flexibility.

Questions Over A Future Role

Zirkzee’s United career has already created moments of high drama. A late winner on debut against Fulham. Tears as he was substituted against Newcastle. Redemption in the FA Cup shootout at Arsenal. Frustration on the bench. It has been emotional, unpredictable and occasionally promising.

But the Daily Mail’s line that he is “way off being a regular” carries weight. When a manager chooses not to start a senior forward in any competition, including a cup tie at Grimsby, the message is unmistakable.

With the World Cup approaching, he needs minutes. The club needs clarity. The article emphasised the possibility of a January loan, with Roma interested, and that may suit all parties.

United’s Tactical Dilemma

If Benjamin Sesko or Matheus Cunha fail to return in time for the Crystal Palace fixture, the potential use of Mason Mount or Bruno Fernandes as a false nine reinforces the extent to which Amorim’s style depends on mobility rather than traditional target men. United are a side shifting towards dynamism, yet not all players can follow.

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The report from the Daily Mail only confirms what many United supporters have been feeling for months. The team needs fluidity and sharpness at the top of the pitch, and Zirkzee does not naturally deliver those qualities. It is not about effort, and fans appreciate his work rate, but the system asks for something different.

Watching Everton defend deep brought back old insecurities. United struggle when opponents sit compact, and without players like Sesko or Cunha, the attack lacked any real penetration. Zirkzee tried, but he felt like a square peg. The truth is that supporters want a striker who terrifies defences, someone capable of shifting a match in a single moment. That presence was absent.

The thought of using a false nine again feels like a step backward, but supporters can see the logic. If the system is non-negotiable, then it must be executed with players who suit it. Mount and Fernandes have the movement to drag players around, which Zirkzee could not manage.

The looming World Cup adds pressure. Fans do not want disruption in January, but if a loan helps the player and frees the squad tactically, then it feels like the right outcome. The club must be ruthless now. Amorim needs those who fit his blueprint, because the table tells its own story. Tenth place is not where Manchester United belong, and changes must be made before this season drifts.

Source: Sports Yahoo