United Seek Replacement for Joshua Zirkzee: Matanovic on Radar
United are bracing for life without Joshua Zirkzee – and the clock is already ticking on his replacement.
The Dutch forward is edging towards the Old Trafford exit after a flat spell in England, where he returned just nine goals in 75 games. Talks over a move to Fiorentina are advancing, with the Serie A club confident of striking a season-long loan, and the player is understood to be pushing for a fresh start after his struggles in Manchester.
That leaves Michael Carrick hunting for a new focal point up front. And one name has shot to the top of United’s list.
United turn to 6ft 5in Matanovic
La Gazzetta dello Sport report that 6ft 5in striker Igor Matanovic has emerged as the preferred option to step into the void. The 23-year-old enjoyed a breakout first season at Freiburg after a £6.9m move from Eintracht Frankfurt, finishing the campaign with 15 goals in all competitions.
He came agonisingly close to capping that with a trophy, only for Julian Schuster’s side to fall to Aston Villa in the Europa League final. The silverware slipped away, but Matanovic’s reputation did not. It soared.
United’s need is obvious. With Rasmus Hojlund sold to Napoli, the squad looks thin through the middle. Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba have added control and energy in midfield, but the lack of a ruthless edge in the box was brutally exposed in a shock 2-0 defeat to Hull City. Carrick wants a proper number nine. A target. A presence.
Matanovic fits that brief.
Spurs enter the frame
United, though, are not alone.
Tottenham have also been strongly linked with the Croatian, with Roberto De Zerbi keen to add more size and variety to his front line. Spurs already boast Dominic Solanke and Richarlison, but De Zerbi is said to want another option who can bully centre-backs, attack crosses and give him a different out-ball when games tighten.
The interest from north London turns this into a straight fight between two Premier League clubs with very different projects – and very similar needs.
Fiorentina’s domino effect
And then comes the twist.
Fiorentina, who are pushing to take Zirkzee, are also tracking Matanovic as a potential alternative. Fabio Grosso’s side are scouring the market for a replacement for Moise Kean, who is set to join Cesc Fabregas at Como.
If their move for Zirkzee stalls, Fiorentina are ready to pivot towards the Freiburg forward. That scenario would ignite a three-way battle: United seeking a new spearhead, Spurs looking to bulk up their attack, and La Viola trying to reshape their frontline in one frantic window.
Every conversation over Zirkzee’s loan shapes what happens next. If United can get his wages and squad place off the books in time, they free up the room – and the funds – to go hard for Matanovic before Tuesday’s deadline. Delay that exit, and the door opens wider for Tottenham or Fiorentina to steal in.
A striker on the rise
Matanovic’s stock has risen sharply over the past year. He drew a blank in three outings at the summer’s World Cup, but his form at club level has done the talking since. The new season has started at full tilt: a brace in Freiburg’s DFB-Pokal win over Dusseldorf underlined a striker playing with confidence and authority.
His frame, aerial strength and work rate have already prompted comparisons with Croatian great Mario Mandzukic. For United, that profile would mark a clear shift towards a more bruising, physical presence up front – someone to pin defenders, occupy two centre-backs and give their wide players a genuine target.
For Tottenham, he would be a different kind of weapon in De Zerbi’s fluid attack. For Fiorentina, a ready-made solution if the Zirkzee plan collapses.
One forward, three suitors, and a deadline looming. Whoever wins the race for Matanovic won’t just be landing a tall striker – they could be securing one of the defining moves of this window.
