Everton line up January move for Joshua Zirkzee as Manchester United consider options

Everton have placed Joshua Zirkzee near the top of their January striker shortlist and are preparing to act quickly if Manchester United open the door. Club recruitment figures view the Dutch forward as a stylistic match for Sean Dyche’s attack, with his back-to-goal play and pressing seen as ideal for Goodison Park. While United value Zirkzee as part of their project after his summer move from Bologna, Everton believe a late-window loan with a purchase option could test the waters if playing time becomes uncertain. Expect conversations to ramp up once the window framework and financial headroom are clearer.

UK television and print reporters have briefed that Everton have elevated Joshua Zirkzee on their January list, contingent on availability. Internal discussions at Goodison Park have centered on adding a ball-secure No 9 who can knit play with wide runners and take physical battles against deep blocks. Manchester United, who signed Zirkzee from Bologna in the summer, are currently weighing squad needs and market dynamics ahead of the window. The situation is fluid, with both clubs tracking budget parameters and potential striker movements across the Premier League.

🚨 NEW: Joshua Zirkzee is high up on Everton’s list of possible striker targets if he was to become available in January. [@RobDorsettSky]

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Impact Analysis

This potential move would reshape Everton’s attacking profile. Dyche’s side often build through quick wide releases and aerial duels, then rely on the striker to secure second balls and connect midfield runners. Zirkzee thrives in that exact channel, receiving under pressure, slipping third-man passes, and holding defenders with his frame. At Bologna, he operated as a modern 9.5 - occupying half-spaces, linking with the No 10, and pressing from the front. Plug that into Goodison and you get a forward who can relieve stress on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, offer rotation in a heavy winter schedule, and raise the team’s technical ceiling in the final third.

Financially, Everton are acutely aware of PSR lines. That is why a loan with an option - or an obligation with triggers - makes the most sense. It smooths the cash impact while securing upside if the fit clicks. For Manchester United, the calculation is different. They invested in Zirkzee for his age profile and skill set, and they will not green-light an exit without ironclad cover and a pathway to minutes for their other forwards. United’s stance could soften if they add another attacker or if squad balance demands a reshuffle. But they will want control over the structure and any future upside.

On the pitch, Zirkzee would immediately raise Everton’s chance creation quality in central zones. He drags center-backs into awkward areas and creates shooting pockets for wingers. Even if he arrives mid-season, the tactical integration is low friction because his strengths mirror Everton’s needs. That is why this story will keep gathering pace as January nears.

Reaction

Fan chatter split into three strands. First, Everton supporters are excited about the fit. They point to Zirkzee’s blend of size, soft feet, and work rate as exactly what Goodison has been missing when attacks stall. Several noted that even when goals are scarce, his link play lifts everyone around him. One comment summed it up: different profile, same fight - and that resonates with the Park End.

Second, Manchester United voices are wary but pragmatic. A few insist the club should not let anyone leave in January because depth is thin over the festive run. Others counter that if minutes shrink and a sensible loan structure appears, a short-term move could benefit player and club. A separate thread highlighted that any clarity on United’s striker availability is tied to their own winter priorities and fitness updates elsewhere in the forward group.

Third, the broader football crowd injected noise. Some posts wandered into unrelated claims about other targets and club rules, while one argument fixated on Zirkzee’s finishing numbers at United without acknowledging his creative and pressing value. The more measured responses stressed context: new league, new system, and a role that asks him to do more than stand on the last line. The consensus by night’s end - Everton’s interest is real, the fit is obvious, and the next move sits with United’s internal calculus.

Social reactions

His goal output at United has not yet matched the level many expected when he arrived,So he might shine in Everton than united

Perpper Mummy (@PerpperM)

I just don't see it, I don't think the club is letting anyone go in January. The squad doesn't have the depth to allow for departures.

Adam (@AdamJoseph____)

🚨 The Manchester United players BELIEVE Champions League qualification is attainable this season. #MUFC []

mufcmpb (@mufcMPB)

Prediction

Short term, expect Everton to explore a loan with an option to buy, calibrated to PSR comfort and activated by appearance or survival triggers. The Toffees will sound out United early, keep the door open, then pounce late in the window if conditions align. If they sense competition, they will try to secure a right-of-first-refusal style understanding while they free up salary room.

For Manchester United, the next four to six weeks dictate everything. If their forwards remain healthy and they add a winger or a mobile 9, a temporary Zirkzee exit becomes plausible. If injuries or fixture congestion bite, the shutters come down. A permanent sale in January is unlikely unless a premium arrives with strong sell-on terms. The more logical route is a structured loan that preserves United’s upside and gives the player a guaranteed run of starts.

Tactically, if Zirkzee lands at Goodison, Dyche can flip between a 4-4-1-1 with Zirkzee linking beneath or alongside Calvert-Lewin, and a 4-3-3 where Zirkzee anchors, freeing wide men to attack the box. Expect quick chemistry because his first touch buys time for runners. If he hits the ground fast, Everton’s points-per-game against bottom-half sides should tick up, which is often the difference between mid-table comfort and a spring dogfight.

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Conclusion

This is one of those winter stories that makes pure football sense. Everton need a forward who can glue their moves together, occupy big center-backs, and sharpen the final pass. Joshua Zirkzee has done that in Serie A and shows the toolkit to repeat it in the Premier League. The finances push both clubs toward a creative solution, and the competitive calendar makes a late-window swing more likely than an early splash.

United will rightly protect their asset. They brought Zirkzee in for a reason. But football is about timing, and January is where minutes, fitness, and table position collide. If United’s pathway tightens and Everton can present a loan with protective clauses, this can get moving quickly. The player gets rhythm, Everton get a profile that fits their blueprint, and United keep control of the long game.

File this under advanced monitoring. The interest is genuine, the fit is strong, and the window tends to reward clubs that prepare quietly, then act fast. Everton are doing exactly that.