Fiorentina Leading Juventus in Zirkzee Transfer Race

Joshua Zirkzee’s Manchester United stint looks to be drifting towards its conclusion, and Serie A is queuing up to bring him back. Two clubs are firmly in the chase: Fiorentina and Juventus. For now, La Viola are the ones pushing hardest.

United are prepared to move the 25-year-old on before the end of the summer window. His chances at Old Trafford have shrunk again after a frustrating campaign and a difficult start to the new season. Last year he started only five Premier League matches. On the opening weekend of 2026-27, he didn’t even get off the bench against newly-promoted Hull City.

Marcus Rashford’s return from his loan at Barcelona has only tightened the squeeze on attacking minutes. In that crowded forward line, Zirkzee has slipped further down the list.

Italy, though, remembers a different version of him. In 2023-24 he hit 11 Serie A goals for Bologna, a season that turned him into one of the league’s most intriguing forwards. That form is why both Juventus and Fiorentina have spent the summer sounding out a deal to take him back.

The needs of the two suitors are not the same.

Juventus want another attacker, but their hands are tied until they move someone on. Jonathan David is the obvious candidate to leave, and any serious move for Zirkzee is likely to wait until the Canadian’s future is resolved. Until then, their interest remains parked.

Fiorentina’s situation is more urgent. Moise Kean is on his way to Como in a €40m transfer, a significant sale that rips a hole straight through their forward options just as they look to consolidate in the upper reaches of Serie A and tackle the demands of European football. They need a replacement now, not in a few weeks.

That urgency has shifted the balance. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Fiorentina are currently in a stronger position than Juventus to strike an agreement with Manchester United, both in terms of timing and structure of a deal.

Zirkzee’s next move will decide whether he returns to Italy as the focal point of Fiorentina’s attack or waits for Juventus to clear space in Turin. For a player entering what should be his prime years, the choice – and the clock – could define the next stage of his career.