Manchester United are still talking about Igor Matanović, but only as Joshua Zirkzee’s future stays unsettled. Ben Jacobs said on the United Stand that the club have held talks over Matanovic in the final few weeks of the window, while CaughtOffside reported internal discussions over a possible move. The point is not that a deal is done. It is that United are keeping a striker option warm while they work through the rest of the window.

Zirkzee is the hinge

Jacobs’ reporting linked Matanovic directly to Zirkzee, describing the Freiburg forward as a potential replacement if the Dutchman moves on. CaughtOffside went further and said Juventus had advanced talks over a loan with a £30million option to buy for Zirkzee, although there is no official confirmation of that route.

United do not have much time to sort it out. They have little more than two weeks left to complete their summer business, which is why this is being treated as conditional rather than imminent. The club have already signed Andrey Santos for £50million and Youri Tielemans for £35million, so the attacking decision now sits inside a wider run of late-window planning.

Why Matanovic stays in the conversation

Matanovic’s case is straightforward enough. He scored 15 goals and added four assists in 50 appearances in all competitions for SC Freiburg last season, which gives United something proven to look at rather than a pure upside bet. CaughtOffside also described him as 6ft 4in, while GiveMeSport put him at 6ft 6ins, so the exact number is still being argued over.

That physical profile fits the idea of a different forward option. CaughtOffside said he would give Carrick another powerful focal point, and the recent output gives that view some weight. He also scored in United’s friendly draw with Leeds, which at least shows the name is not being thrown around without any live reference point.

United have kept Benjamin Šeško on the list as well, so Matanovic is not the only striker being discussed. Still, the German market does not look accidental here. Freiburg finished 7th in the Bundesliga in 2025, and Matanovic’s 8.2 rating in his most recent club appearance, with 1 goal and 1 assist, suggests the final stretch of his season was stronger than a one-note target-man profile would imply.

If Zirkzee stays, this probably cools quickly. If he moves, Matanovic becomes a more serious late-window option, and United’s striker decision will come back to the same question that has been hanging over the last few weeks: who fills the gap before the window closes in little more than two weeks?

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →