Manchester United yet to open negotiations for transfer – One idea not being received warmly

Manchester United are yet to open negotiations with Juventus over Joshua Zirkzee, or open to the idea of a loan move for the Dutchman.

That’s according to journalist Niccolò Ceccarini, whose comments to Tutto Convocati on Radio 24 have been relayed by Bianconera News.

Zirkzee is currently being heavily linked with a return to Italy in the January transfer window after a difficult few months at Manchester United following a move from Bologan in the summer.

He appears to have failed to settle into life at Old Trafford and his absence from Ruben Amorim’s side for the 3-2 win over Bodo/Glimt on Thursday has been taken as a sign he’s not in his plans either.

Juventus are reportedly eyeing a move for him as they try to secure low-cost deals in January to boost their squad and provide Thiago Motta with option upfront.

Motta knows Zirkzee well after working with him successfully at Bologna and there’s even been reports from Italy that they could look at a loan or a swap deal, perhaps involving Douglas Luiz or Danilo.

No official talks have taken place with Manchester United yet, though, according to Ceccarini, and a loan deal is not being looked at favourably by the Premier League side either.

“Let’s start from the assumption that Juventus intend to move in attack only in the event that Milik were not to provide guarantees,” he said.

“It is clear that it would be very easy to link Zirkzee, currently in difficulty at United, to a loan to Juventus in January, but today there is no opening from Manchester to this type of operation, so at the moment there is no negotiation.

If the question that is asked of me concerns the possibility for Juventus to attempt an assault for the Dutchman, I say that after mid-January something could move.

“But everything is linked to Milik’s recovery and the feelings linked to the former Marseille player, if certainties and not doubts were to emerge from his conditions, Juventus would remain as they are.”