Joshua Zirkzee's Style Transformation: From Footballer to 90s Rapper

Joshua Zirkzee is trying to rewrite the script at Manchester United – and he’s starting with his wardrobe.

The Dutch forward, still searching for a true foothold at Old Trafford after a stuttering first season, has flown in a stylist from the Netherlands to give his look a complete overhaul. The brief was simple, and very specific: stop dressing like a footballer, start dressing like a rapper from the 90s.

From fringe forward to 90s hip-hop aesthetic

Zirkzee arrived from Bologna in 2024 for around £36.5–37 million, but the move has yet to catch fire. Two goals in 24 appearances last season have already seen him tagged a flop and linked with a swift return to Italy.

He has been involved in pre-season under Michael Carrick and is one of the few recognised centre-forwards in the squad as United face Leeds in Dublin on Wednesday. His long-term future, though, is still unclear.

Off the pitch, he has taken control of something he can change. Zirkzee brought over Dutch wardrobe stylist Sydney Luchies to Manchester to rework his image and, he hopes, sharpen his confidence.

Luchies, who is based in the Netherlands, has been documenting the project on TikTok, taking followers inside her work with the 25-year-old. She explained how the process began with a mood board before moving on to full outfit planning and ordering.

“I start by making a mood board. Once the mood board is approved, I start making the outfits and once the outfits are approved, I start to order everything and then it’s time for delivery,” she said in one video.

This time, that delivery meant a flight to England.

“Joshua lives in Manchester, so this time we flew to England. Once I arrived, I started preparing all the outfits for the fitting and Joshua wanted to look like a rapper from the 90s – with his own touch. So, I think we did well.”

Think baggier silhouettes, bolder pieces, a touch of nostalgia – but tailored to a modern Premier League striker.

Clearing space for a reset

The style reboot did not stop at a few new looks. In a follow-up TikTok last month, Luchies filmed herself inside Zirkzee’s expansive wardrobe, pulling everything out and starting again.

“Come with me to do a closet clean for Joshua Zirkzee,” she told viewers, explaining that the forward had asked her to reorganise his space, clear room for new clothes and leave it “neat and organised”.

She sorted unwanted and unworn items into colour-co-ordinated piles. The plan: sell the high-end pieces, donate the rest to charity. A clear-out with a purpose, and a hint of the player’s off-field values as he resets his image.

Luchies is no stranger to the football world. She has previously worked with Burnley defender Quilindschy Hartman, currently on loan at Espanyol, and has styled shoots for PSV Eindhoven. Her client list stretches into major brands too, including Adidas, Puma and New Balance.

Describing herself as an “all-round wardrobe stylist and creative”, she outlines her approach on her website, saying her passion for fashion began in childhood and that she now sees outfits and concepts as “a form of art and self-expression”. Her stated aim is to blend the wishes of her clients with her own vision and to keep pushing for better work across editorial, commercial and celebrity styling.

New look, same pressure

For Zirkzee, the timing is no coincidence. A revamped wardrobe, a different silhouette, a nod to 90s rap culture – it all feeds into a player trying to feel different as a pivotal season looms.

United paid big money to bring him from Serie A. They have not yet seen the best of the striker who once looked set to be one of Europe’s most intriguing young forwards. With pre-season minutes under his belt and a new image taking shape, the question now is whether a fresh off-field identity can help unlock a sharper, more ruthless version of Zirkzee on the pitch.

The clothes have changed. The expectation at Old Trafford has not.