Fiorentina Advances Over Juventus for Joshua Zirkzee

Joshua Zirkzee’s second chance in Serie A is edging closer, and right now Florence looks a far likelier destination than Turin.

Manchester United are prepared to move the Dutch forward on before the end of the summer window after two flat years at Old Trafford. At 25, he needs minutes, not more time on the bench, and the numbers tell the story: just five Premier League starts last season and not a single minute in United’s opening league game of 2026-27 against newly promoted Hull City, where he remained an unused substitute.

The return of Marcus Rashford from his loan at Barcelona has only tightened the squeeze. With United’s attacking hierarchy now even more crowded, Zirkzee sits further down the pecking order and the club is open to a clean break.

Serie A knows what he can do. In 2023-24, his final season with Bologna, Zirkzee hit 11 league goals and looked fully at ease in Italian football. That campaign put him on the radar of the league’s bigger names, and they have not forgotten.

Both Juventus and Fiorentina have sounded out a deal to bring him back to Italy, but their situations are very different.

Juventus

Juventus want another attacker, yet they are boxed in by their own squad. Any serious move for Zirkzee hinges on first finding a new club for Jonathan David. Until that happens, their interest remains conditional, more theory than action.

Fiorentina

Fiorentina’s need is sharper. Moise Kean is on the verge of joining Champions League side Como in a €40m transfer, leaving La Viola hunting for a direct replacement at centre-forward. They cannot afford to wait around while others reshuffle their squads.

That urgency is tilting the race. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Fiorentina are currently in the strongest position to strike an agreement with Manchester United, with a clear role to offer and a Kean-sized gap to fill.

For Zirkzee, it sets up a straightforward choice once the formal offers land: become the focal point of an ambitious Fiorentina attack, or hold out and hope Juventus can sell before the window closes.