Manchester United Eye Igor Matanovic Amid Zirkzee Uncertainty
Manchester United are weighing up a move for Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic as uncertainty grows around Joshua Zirkzee’s future at Old Trafford, with Tottenham and Fiorentina also circling.
The summer blueprint at United was clear: fix the midfield first. They did exactly that. Carlos Baleba arrived from Brighton, Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa and Andrey Santos from Chelsea, reshaping the core of Erik ten Hag’s side. Karl Darlow came in on a free to bolster the goalkeeping department, while young defender Tynan Thompson joined from Tottenham in a deal worth around £8m.
The spine has been reinforced. The squad, though, is far from finished.
Striker plan hinges on Zirkzee
INEOS have made it clear through briefings and trusted reporters that a new centre-forward only comes into play if Zirkzee leaves. Ben Jacobs reported that United are “alert” to the striker market, ready to move if the Dutchman is prised away by Premier League or Serie A clubs in the final stretch of the window.
That scenario is edging closer.
Fabrizio Romano has reported that Fiorentina are in “advanced talks” to sign Zirkzee, with Como closing in on Moise Kean and reshaping the Italian market for forwards. If Zirkzee goes, United’s stance changes immediately. A No. 9 stops being a contingency and becomes a necessity.
That is where Matanovic enters the picture.
Matanovic in the middle of a three-way tug-of-war
Gazzetta dello Sport’s Thursday print edition, relayed by Sport Witness, describes Fiorentina’s interest in Matanovic as “difficult but not impossible”. The complication is the growing Premier League presence in the chase.
Manchester United and Tottenham have both registered interest in the Freiburg striker, who hit 11 Bundesliga goals last season and is already being talked about in Croatia as the heir to Mario Mandzukic. That sort of tag carries weight. It also drives competition – and price.
The landscape could tilt quickly. Omar Marmoush is heading towards Tottenham, Fiorentina are pushing hard for Zirkzee, and that combination might clear the runway for United to make a more decisive move for Matanovic if they do lose their current No. 9.
If Zirkzee walks out, United will not want to be left shopping in the bargain bin on deadline day.
Left-back search: loan now, big swing later?
While the striker question hangs over Old Trafford, left-back remains the most active front. Jacobs has underlined that the position is viewed as the priority in these final days of the window.
Alejandro Balde has been offered around, with Barcelona understood to be open to a sale at around €45m. On paper, that’s a long-term solution. In practice, United’s strategy appears more nuanced.
The club are thought to prefer a loan deal at left-back, ideally with an option to buy, rather than committing to a permanent transfer now. The reason is clear: they want flexibility for 2027, when Lewis Hall is viewed as their ideal long-term target.
Hall is not expected to be available this late in the window, forcing United into a decision. Do they lock in a major signing now and potentially close off a future move for their preferred option? Or do they find a stopgap, accept short-term compromise, and keep the door open for a full-scale move for Hall next year?
Balde remains one possibility on a loan-structured deal if Barcelona agree to that shape. Other names have been floated to United, including Jorge Salinas and David Raum, but nothing has progressed beyond early discussions.
For now, United stand on a knife-edge in two key areas of the pitch. If Zirkzee stays, Matanovic might remain one to watch rather than a priority. If he goes, the race with Tottenham and Fiorentina could ignite overnight.
At left-back, the club must decide whether this is the moment to commit – or whether the smarter play is to wait for the defender they really want.
