Roma table €40m package to sign Joshua Zirkzee from Man United

Roma have put a €40m proposal on Manchester United’s desk to sign Joshua Zirkzee, built around a €5m initial loan fee, a €30m option to buy and €5m in add-ons linked to Champions League qualification. United are open to talks and want clarity on the option vs obligation point, while exploring a forward addition if Zirkzee departs. From a footballing perspective, Zirkzee’s profile fits Roma’s need for a modern 9 who links play and presses smartly. Having played and scouted in Serie A, this move makes football sense and the structure is close enough that both sides can bridge the final gap.

Discussions have accelerated across Manchester and Rome in the last 24 hours, with intermediaries active and club officials aligning calendars for the next round of talks. Roma are prioritising a technical 9 to anchor Daniele De Rossi’s 4-3-3, while United remain pragmatic on outgoings provided squad depth is protected. The proposal on the table is a season-long loan fee with a pre-agreed option and performance bonuses tied to European qualification. Both clubs are working within budget parameters set before the window, and there is appetite from all sides to find a structure that satisfies risk management and valuation.

🚨 BREAKING: A deal worth €40M is on Manchester United’s table for Joshua Zirkzee. Roma have put forward an initial loan fee worth €5M and an option to buy of €30M. Bonuses of €5M will be handed to Amorim’s side, if the Roma qualify for the Champions League. This offer is

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

If completed, this is a tidy bit of business for Roma and a controlled decision for United. Zirkzee gives De Rossi a centre-forward who drops between the lines, knits midfield to the final third and still attacks the box late. I faced these Roma crowds at the Olimpico - they respond to forwards who think and fight in equal measure. Zirkzee is that type. He is not a pure penalty-box poacher, but his first touch, wall passes and press triggers suit Roma’s compact-to-expansive build.

For United, the structure removes immediate risk and preserves upside. A €5m loan offsets wages, the option sets a price floor, and add-ons for Champions League qualification protect value if Zirkzee explodes in Serie A. The key internal debate at Carrington will be timing and cover. United cannot thin out the forward line without a plan for minutes at 9 and wide-forward flexibility.

From a market view, the package sits in the right band for a forward with proven Serie A output and Premier League minutes. Option vs obligation is the hinge. Roma prefer flexibility, United prefer certainty. That is normal. What convinces sporting directors is alignment of usage: at Roma, Zirkzee likely starts, which raises the probability that the option becomes a formality through performance clauses.

Reaction

Supporters are split, and that always tells you a deal is close to fair value. Many United fans call the €5m loan + €30m option too light and want the option converted to an obligation, with the total nudged toward €45m-€50m. Others insist a permanent transfer now would be cleaner. There is a recurring theme: do not weaken the squad unless a replacement walks in the door the same week. Antoine Semenyo is the name most frequently floated as the direct, vertical profile to balance the front line if Zirkzee exits.

There is also sarcasm about the headline number - some read it as a €5m now, maybe nothing later if the option is declined. That is the fear with options. A few practical voices add that if Zirkzee shines, Roma get a steal, and if he struggles, United eat the risk. The consensus middle ground from fans who watch both leagues: push Roma to make the option an obligation under reachable triggers, or add a top-up of at least €5m. Plenty just want the club to act decisively - either commit to Zirkzee or pivot quickly and buy a runner like Semenyo.

Social reactions

Option to buy is useless. Essentially it’s €5m to take him off our hands for 6 months. If he’s rubbish they send him back. If he plays v well they get him for a snip.

Nigel Haworth (@nth09)

We shouldn't sell him now.. Bad idea

Neha (@Neha_The_Gaffer)

Option to buy or obligation to buy?

Ogar (@CardioMed_SI)

Prediction

My read as a former striker who has sat in these rooms: this gets done with tweaks. Expect United to push the option into a conditional obligation - appearances plus team performance - or to lift the option figure by €3m-€5m. The add-ons tied to Champions League will stay, but look for a new line tied to goals or minutes that protects United’s downside. Roma’s sporting department will accept modest movement because De Rossi wants his 9 early, not on deadline day.

On the replacement front, Semenyo makes football sense for United - direct, robust, presses hard, can play wide or central. The challenge is price and Bournemouth’s timing. If a bid lands around the mid-30s in millions, talks can warm quickly, but United could also explore a short-term veteran option if fees spike late. Timeline wise, the next 72 hours feel decisive: medical and image rights can be fast-tracked if the obligation language is agreed.

Most likely scenario: agreement in principle this week, paperwork over the weekend, announcement after final legal checks. If Roma balk at obligation triggers, a rival Italian club could sniff around, but Roma’s head start and Zirkzee’s Serie A familiarity should carry the day.

Latest today

• Arsenal pivot toward Viktor Gyökeres as Šeško talks cool - the No.9 built for Arteta now
• Beccacece’s center-back hierarchy sparks Ecuador debate: who follows Pacho, Hincapié and O...
• Man United and Man City hold fresh talks for Antoine Semenyo as £65m clause looms
• Alexander Isak injury scare - Newcastle braced for months out in worst-case scenario

Conclusion

This is the sort of move that works for everyone when the fine print is right. Roma gain a connector up top who will raise the ceiling of their attacking sequences. United keep financial control and can reset the profile of their forward group without a fire sale. I have seen these deals fall apart over one clause - then resurrected in an afternoon when both managers call and align. Expect the same here.

Zirkzee in Rome feels natural. The tempo, the spacing, the responsibility to be both target and creator - it fits his game. If the option becomes a conditional obligation and the total package edges toward €45m, the balance is fair. United can then attack the market for pace and chaos in the front line. Fans will always argue figures, but the footballing logic is clean. Tie up the clause, book the medical, and let a striker who understands Serie A go do what he does best.