Joshua Zirkzee has reportedly agreed to the idea of joining Juventus, but the move is still being held up by the structure. Manchester United want either a permanent sale or, at minimum, a loan with an obligation to buy, while Juventus are pushing for a season-long loan with an option to buy. United paid €42.5 million to sign Joshua Zirkzee in 2024.

The deal structure is the real obstacle

The disagreement is not about whether Juventus like the player. It is about how they want to pay for him. The report cited by the sources says Francisco Conceição was discussed as part of a potential package, but he wants to remain in Turin, which leaves the clubs back at the same problem: Juventus want flexibility, United want more certainty.

Fabrizio Romano said: "Permanent deal. €38m fee plus €12m add-ons. No longer a loan with obligation to buy but permanent. Contract valid until 2031, slightly over €5m net per season." That is one version of the story, but it sits alongside other reporting that still points to a loan with option-to-buy talks. The split is clear enough, and it explains why this is still a negotiation rather than a done deal.

Zirkzee's recent usage also fits the picture. He has played 114 minutes across his last five Premier League matches and averaged 6.36 in that spell. He is being used, but he is not being leaned on as a locked-in starter.

United are planning for movement up front

United are not treating this as a one-player conversation. Ben Jacobs said Igor Thiago has been discussed internally and called him "Premier League ready", while also adding that getting him out this summer would be "incredibly difficult". That points to an early-stage idea, not a finished replacement plan.

The club's recent league form is not the issue here. United took 13 points from their last five Premier League matches, and they finished third in 2025 with 71 points. This is a squad-planning move, not a panic move.

Juventus, meanwhile, have only won once in their last five league games and finished sixth in Serie A in 2025. That helps explain why they are trying to reshape the attack, with or without a clean path to Zirkzee.

The key question now is which structure breaks first. Juventus like the loan route, United are pushing for stronger guarantees, and the latest reporting does not suggest either side has fully shifted yet.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →