Manchester United's Transfer Dilemma: Matanovic Move as Zirkzee Future Uncertain

Manchester United’s transfer window was supposed to be simple: fix the midfield, tidy up the squad, and live with what they had in attack for another season. That plan is creaking.

With Joshua Zirkzee’s future at Old Trafford increasingly uncertain, United have been dragged into a late-window striker chase, with Freiburg forward Igor Matanovic emerging as a serious option – and a contested one.

From midfield rebuild to striker dilemma

INEOS set the tone early. Midfield was the priority, and United moved decisively. Carlos Baleba arrived from Brighton, Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, Andrey Santos from Chelsea. Three signings, three different profiles, one clear message: the centre of the pitch would not be allowed to fail again.

Depth behind the first-choice goalkeeper was also addressed. Karl Darlow came in on a free, a reliable, low‑drama presence. Tottenham youngster Tynan Thompson followed in a deal worth around £8m, a nod to the future more than the present.

The rest of the plan? Target a left-back, maybe a left‑winger, and only then – if the market broke their way – consider a striker. On paper, left-back still sits at the top of the to‑do list.

But transfer windows don’t care much for neat lists.

Zirkzee interest forces United’s hand

Reliable voices around the club, including journalist Ben Jacobs, have made it clear: United will only move for a new No 9 if Zirkzee goes. If he stays, the club are prepared to ride the season out without another centre-forward. If he leaves, everything changes.

Jacobs has described United as “alert” to the striker market, ready to act if the Dutchman is prised away in the final days or even hours of the window. That alertness now feels less theoretical.

With Como closing in on Moise Kean, Fiorentina have turned their attention firmly to Zirkzee. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Serie A side are in “advanced talks” to sign the Netherlands international from United. Should that deal cross the line, United’s reluctance to sanction a sale without a replacement will be pushed to breaking point.

This is where Igor Matanovic steps in.

Matanovic: heir to Mandzukic and at the centre of a tug-of-war

Fiorentina, already circling Zirkzee, have also been tracking Freiburg’s Matanovic. Thursday’s print edition of Gazzetta dello Sport, relayed by Sport Witness, described a deal for the Croatian as “difficult but not impossible” for the Italian club.

That difficulty has a name: competition.

Manchester United and Tottenham have joined the race, complicating Fiorentina’s pursuit. Matanovic, who hit 11 Bundesliga goals last season, is not just another forward on a list. In Croatia, he is being talked up as the “heir to Mario Mandzukic” – a big, bruising tag that hints at his profile and mentality as much as his output.

The market is moving around him. Omar Marmoush is on his way to Tottenham, clearing one potential path for United. Fiorentina, meanwhile, are pushing hard for Zirkzee. If both those deals land where they’re expected, United could suddenly find themselves with a clear run at Matanovic.

A few weeks ago, the idea of United aggressively chasing a striker this late in the window felt remote. Now, it’s a live scenario.

Left-back: Balde, loans, and the Lewis Hall plan

All of this plays out against a separate, simmering issue: left-back.

United’s need in that position has not gone away, and Jacobs has underlined that the club are still actively exploring options. Alejandro Balde has been offered around, with Barcelona understood to be open to an exit at around €45m.

That sort of fee would usually tempt United into acting decisively. This time, they are hesitating – not because of the player, but because of the bigger picture.

INEOS are thought to be keen on preserving flexibility for 2027, when they hope to make a serious move for their long-term first-choice target at left-back: Lewis Hall. Hall is not believed to be available this late in the current window, which leaves United with a strategic dilemma.

Do they commit big money now and potentially block a future move for Hall? Or do they look for a short-term fix – a loan, a stopgap – and keep their powder dry?

Balde remains on the table, but United’s preference, if they act, would be a loan with an option to buy rather than an immediate permanent deal. That sort of structure would protect their ability to go after Hall down the line.

For now, nothing has advanced. Other names have been floated to United, including Jorge Salinas and David Raum, as alternative options at left-back. None have yet sparked a decisive move.

A window on the edge

So United stand at a familiar crossroads: pulled between the urgency of now and the strategy of tomorrow.

If Zirkzee stays, the club can lean back on their original plan – left-back first, striker later, if at all. If he goes, the calculus flips. Matanovic, once a name on a scouting report, could become a late-window priority, with Tottenham and Fiorentina already in the room.

The pieces are on the board. The question is whether United can move quickly enough – and cleverly enough – to protect both their present and their carefully plotted future.