Man United primed for late exits: Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee set for moves as deadline looms

Manchester United are preparing for a decisive finish to the window, with Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee emerging as the most likely departures, either on loan or permanently. Club planning points to replacements being lined up if either move is finalised. Around the squad, there is buzz on a potential obligation-trigger deal abroad for a centre forward, while another high-profile attacker is less certain to go. From my time in dressing rooms, this reads like classic deadline choreography: clear pathways for minutes, maintain value, and tighten the squad for the run-in.

Club-focused reporting in Manchester indicates United have held late-window meetings to streamline the squad and safeguard depth if exits occur. Internal discussions have addressed midfield minutes for a young homegrown talent and game-time for a recent striking recruit, with contingency targets identified. Fan chatter has also referenced a potential obligation-based move for a striker if European qualification criteria are met, and a separate, more tentative option for a wide forward. The broader context is a tight market, where loans with options and obligations are being used to balance short-term needs and long-term asset protection.

🚨 NEW: Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee are the most obvious players who will leave the club – either on loan or permanently – before the transfer deadline. If either did, the chances are replacements would be needed. [@sistoney67]

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

If United green-light Mainoo and Zirkzee to move before the deadline, the ripple effects will be immediate across balance, depth, and development. Mainoo, a homegrown midfielder with high technical ceiling, has ball security and press resistance the current squad leans on in tight games. A loan could supercharge his minutes and maturity, but a permanent sale would be a bold call given his upward curve. From a squad registration perspective, losing a club-trained player forces careful list management domestically and in Europe.

With Zirkzee, the calculus is different. He is a connector at nine, drops into pockets, and drags centre backs out of shape. If he exits, United would need a profile that either attacks the box more aggressively or replicates his link play. That is why a replacement has been discussed in parallel. Financially, loan structures with obligations or options protect value while testing fit. Football-wise, a late clean-up can energise a squad if the pathways are clear. I have seen it firsthand: when roles sharpen, performances jump.

Big picture, these moves would signal a front-office ready to be decisive rather than sentimental. That tends to pay off if the incoming profiles match the manager’s shape and the medium-term plan for European football.

Reaction

The fan temperature is split but loud. A chunk of supporters cannot fathom Mainoo leaving, arguing he just needs consistent minutes after bright cameos and a steady showing in tough fixtures. Others frame Zirkzee’s situation as the classic second-season squeeze, noting how a starter can quickly become a rotation piece when systems shift. There is frustration that any exits would demand instant reinforcements, which some see as needless churn, and others see as smart asset management.

There is also colorful debate around the touchline. Some blame the current tactical setup for not maximising technically gifted players, pointing to a back-three bias and rigid spacing. A few, more pragmatic voices, welcome a loan for Mainoo as a chance to skyrocket his development, provided there is a recall or buy-back safety net. The suggestion of a power forward like Mateta has surprisingly wide support among those craving more penalty-box punch.

As someone who has lived through deadline week, I recognise this energy: anxious, hopeful, and ultimately trusting that clarity on roles beats hoarding talent. Fans want a plan they can see on the pitch next weekend.

Social reactions

🚨🎙️ | Harry Maguire on VAR: “I’d get rid of it ALL apart from for goal-line technology and offsides.. at least they’re factual.”

(fan) Frank 🧠🇵🇹 (@AmorimEra)

How are Mainoo and Zirkzee suddenly the obvious players to leave? These are two of the few bright spots we actually need to build around. Selling or loaning them out would be nothing short of madness. If anything, we should be protecting them, not talking about replacements.

Old Trafford Updates (@news_united_)

Its mad two of our technically best players Mind boggling

Lou1eXIX (@UTD2DAY)

Prediction

- Mainoo: A domestic loan with guaranteed minutes looks the cleanest route. Expect clauses that protect United’s long-term position, like no permanent option, a recall in case of injuries, and a clear development plan. If a permanent bid arrives at a premium, United will still prioritise retention unless the player pushes.

- Zirkzee: Two pathways. Either a loan to a top-five league club that plays him as a roaming nine, or a permanent sale if an offer matches amortisation and future upside metrics. If he goes, the club will move for a striker who attacks the six-yard box, to complement Rasmus Hojlund and balance profiles up front.

- Attacking dominoes: A Champions League-linked obligation abroad for a centre forward could still click into place if criteria are met. A marquee winger option feels less likely at this hour, with the market thin and prices high.

- Net result: United finish the window leaner, with a clearer depth chart and at least one incoming forward. The biggest upside play is Mainoo returning next season as a locked-in starter after a year of heavy Premier League minutes.

Latest today

• Club Brugge sack head coach before UCL clash - Arsenal still favored despite absences
• Andre Onana called up by Cameroon for AFCON - Man United plan for No.1’s absence
• Real Madrid’s backline shredded vs Man City: Alaba, Militão, Mendy, Carvajal, Camavinga al...
• Portsmouth pressure index spikes: Mousinho scrutinized as survival plan stalls

Conclusion

United are acting like a club that finally knows what it wants from this window: clarity of roles, value secured, and footballers who fit the system. Letting Mainoo breathe with a well-chosen loan can be the making of him. Moving Zirkzee to a place that leans into his false-nine traits could unlock the player we saw flourish before. But this only works if the club closes on the right replacement profiles, not just names. The signs are positive.

From my playing days, the best squads I was in had ruthless simplicity. If you were not getting minutes, you moved to play. If the team needed a different tool up front, it arrived with zero fuss. United are finally moving with that kind of intent. Expect a busy final push, a cleaner bench, and a group that looks built to run into spring, not stumble to it.