Joshua Zirkzee is Manchester United’s standout signing for the 2024-25 Premier League season, and it’s a move that’s sure to generate plenty of excitement among fans.
How old is Joshua Zirkzee?
23
It appears Manchester United may finally be evolving their strategy. Historically, their approach to bolstering their striker lineup has focused on short-term solutions, often relying on seasoned players who were past their prime and required minimal transfer fees.
Notable figures like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, and Cristiano Ronaldo have played their part, though their stints were complemented by some dubious loan spells involving players such as Radamel Falcao, Odion Ighalo, and Wout Weghorst.
However, the signing of 20-year-old Rasmus Højlund last summer hinted at a shift towards a more forward-thinking strategy. Now, their latest addition for the 2024-25 season, at a reported £34 million—roughly half of what they paid for Højlund—aligns with this new focus on nurturing potential.
Zirkzee: A Classic Attacker Bringing Nostalgia and Innovation to United
Joshua Zirkzee may not be a familiar name to many United fans, but at just 23, he presents a promising combination of potential and current capability. Moving from Bologna, where he helped secure Champions League qualification last season, to the Premier League will undoubtedly be a significant leap in terms of demands and exposure. Nonetheless, his arrival is already generating excitement.
Manchester United has a history of favoring unconventional strikers, and Zirkzee fits this mold perfectly. With past icons like Eric Cantona, Dimitar Berbatov, and Ibrahimovic gracing the Old Trafford pitch, Zirkzee’s style aligns more closely with theirs than with Højlund’s.
While expectations should be realistic—no one is suggesting Zirkzee will have a Cantona-like impact—his distinctive style and flair offer a refreshing change and evoke a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era.
If modern football often features speedy wide forwards like Marcus Rashford or strikers making explosive runs behind defenses, then Zirkzee represents a different era—one that offers Manchester United a unique option.
Influenced by his early development on the Cruyff Courts in Schiedam, Rotterdam, established by the Johan Cruyff Foundation, Zirkzee exhibits many traits associated with street footballers.
He actively seeks the ball, as evidenced by his 49.5 touches per 90 minutes in Serie A last season—higher than all but wingers or wide forwards (minimum 900 minutes played). Additionally, he averaged 4.3 dribble attempts per game, surpassing all recognized centre-forwards and only trailing behind seven wingers in this regard.
Zirkzee’s eagerness to get involved with the ball often leads him to drop into deeper positions to connect the play. His approach goes beyond simple, first-time passes to nearby teammates; while he can execute those, he also excels when feeling a defender close behind him. His technical skill and agility enable him to shield the ball effectively and maneuver around his opponent.
Zirkzee: The Modern ‘Nine and a Half’ Reviving a Classic Role
Both Thiago Motta and Ronald Koeman, his coaches at Bologna and the Netherlands, have described him as a “nine and a half,” capturing the complexity of his role as a striker. “I’m not a pure centre forward,” he explained to Corriere della Sera earlier this year.
“Whenever he has the ball, something always happens,” noted Corriere dello Sport about Zirkzee last season, and this observation is well-founded. While many may have thought that the technically gifted, skillful number nine was a relic of the 1990s and early 2000s—or had faded away with Ibrahimovic’s retirement—Zirkzee is reviving and reimagining this role as a “nine and a half.”
The comparisons to past players are nothing new for Zirkzee. Earlier this year, it was mentioned that Torino coach Ivan Juric saw echoes of Ibrahimovic in Zirkzee’s play.
“It’s a great compliment. It’s not so usual to see a tall centre-forward with good technique,” he replied. “I don’t want to appear arrogant. I thank Juric, but yes, I see myself in that [comparison].”
We won’t use the phrase “good touch for a big man,” but Zirkzee definitely brings a physical presence, even if he’s not the stereotypical aggressive forward. This does slightly affect his pure speed, but with players like Alejandro Garnacho, Rashford, and Højlund already in the squad, that shouldn’t pose a significant problem.
Additionally, Zirkzee is unlikely to be signed to play as a traditional center-forward pushing up high. United appears to value his contributions to the team as a whole, similar to how he elevated Bologna’s performance.
To gauge his attacking involvement, we can look at sequence data. Last season in Serie A, Zirkzee’s 144 involvements in shot-ending open-play sequences ranked second only to Lautaro Martínez, who had 161.
However, this figure includes his own shot attempts. Excluding these shots provides a clearer picture of Zirkzee’s role in the final third, revealing 83 shot-ending sequences where he either contributed to the build-up or delivered the pass that created a chance. Only Martínez (88) and Charles De Ketelaere (91) had more such involvements among strikers, although De Ketelaere posed less of a goal threat with 31 shots compared to Zirkzee’s 61.
This data highlights Zirkzee as an associative center-forward. Additionally, he recorded the second-most instances (16) among strikers of taking a shot while being involved in the build-up, demonstrating his goal-scoring threat.
Given his tendency to engage in build-up play, it’s also valuable to examine Zirkzee’s use of the ball. His 58 progressive passes were the highest among players who spent at least 85% of their time as a center-forward. He also ranked second in through balls (7) behind Martínez (12) among the same group.
Although he may not be the forward who occupies the most advanced positions on the field, Zirkzee demonstrates a proactive and progressive approach. This is evident from his third-highest number of progressive carries (148) and the most carries ending with a shot or chance created (41) among pure center-forwards. Notably, no other player in this group surpassed his 39 chances created in open play.
Integrating Zirkzee: A Potential Catalyst for United’s Attack
Zirkzee’s skills could complement Rashford and Garnacho well, as his deeper runs might help create additional space for these wide forwards, particularly in transition or counter-attacks. Additionally, his ability to maneuver effectively could enhance United’s capacity to capitalize on such opportunities.
This raises the question of how Zirkzee will integrate with Bruno Fernandes, who operates in advanced midfield areas. This will certainly be a key consideration for Erik ten Hag. Increasing the number of players in these areas could be a strategic move to create more space for wide players to exploit, and it’s possible that Zirkzee and Fernandes could work well together. Zirkzee’s style is heavily based on combinations, as evidenced by his 80 layoffs—second only to Marcus Thuram in Serie A last season—which could help in freeing Fernandes to roam more freely.
There will also be questions about how effectively he can pair with Højlund. While we can only speculate at this point, Zirkzee mentioned last year that he enjoys playing in a front two, although this was before Motta’s tactical adjustments helped him thrive. Given their differing styles, it’s feasible to envision them both starting, and Højlund often appeared to benefit from additional support last season.
While Zirkzee’s creative and technical abilities might earn him accolades, he will also be expected to deliver goals. Manchester United struggled with scoring last season, and while the issue isn’t solely about the main center-forward missing chances, there will always be high expectations for the player leading the attack.
Zirkzee’s goal-scoring record last season was modest, with nine non-penalty goals in 34 Serie A appearances. He averaged 2.8 shots per 90 minutes, which is lower compared to the league’s most prolific forwards, and his 12.8% shot conversion rate lagged behind players like Albert Gudmundsson (24.6%), Lautaro Martínez (22.2%), Romelu Lukaku, and Gianluca Scamacca (both 20%).
However, the team’s tactical setup and the player’s role can significantly impact these statistics. Zirkzee often played deeper for Bologna, which naturally reduced his opportunities to take shots from the most dangerous areas.
Despite his average of 0.09 xG per shot not being among the highest, there is considerable potential here. Notably, eight of his non-penalty goals were scored inside the penalty area, and his 66.7% conversion rate for ‘big chances’ was surpassed by only four forwards (minimum 900 minutes played), indicating that he was quite reliable when presented with clear opportunities.
It’s important to note that Zirkzee is aware of this potential area for improvement, as he admitted in his Corriere della Sera interview that he needs to “stay more inside the area.”
Who better to mentor him than Ruud van Nistelrooy? The Manchester United legend has returned to Old Trafford this summer as one of Ten Hag’s assistants. There is hope among the fanbase that van Nistelrooy’s exceptional playing career will inspire and benefit the club’s young strikers, including Zirkzee.
Consider that Zlatan Ibrahimovic, often compared to Zirkzee, was reportedly criticized by then-Juventus manager Fabio Capello for his shooting when he arrived from Ajax. Capello had Ibrahimovic study videos of Marco van Basten, and Ibrahimovic went on to become one of the greatest goal scorers of his generation.
While it’s impossible to predict with certainty how Zirkzee will fare at United, it is clear that he has significant potential, offers something different from the current squad, and has the ability to excite fans.
That’s a solid foundation to build on.
