Juventus are preparing to intensify their pursuit of Joshua Zirkzee as they look to strengthen Luciano Spalletti’s attacking options before the transfer window closes.

The Serie A giants have identified the Manchester United striker as one of their priority targets and are now ready to make what Italian reports describe as a decisive move for the Dutchman. While negotiations are gathering pace, the biggest hurdle remains the structure of the deal rather than Juventus’ desire to sign the 25-year-old.

Juventus pushing to bring Zirkzee back to Serie A

According to Corriere dello Sport via SportWitness, Juventus are increasingly optimistic about landing Zirkzee, with sporting director Frederic Massara already familiar with the striker after previously agreeing personal terms with his representatives during his time at Roma.

That move ultimately failed because Manchester United refused to lower their financial demands, but Juventus have now revived their interest with Spalletti fully behind the transfer. The Italian boss is a strong admirer of Zirkzee’s technical qualities, intelligence in possession and ability to operate across the forward line. His approval has encouraged Juventus to accelerate talks as they seek another attacking option ahead of the new campaign.

Zirkzee is also understood to be open to returning to Italy, where he previously impressed with Bologna before earning his move to Old Trafford. A return to the league where he thrived before could help him re-kickstart his career at the top level.

Loan proposal could complicate negotiations

Juventus’ preferred formula is a season-long loan with an option to buy, allowing the club to spread the financial commitment but that structure may prove difficult to negotiate with Manchester United.

The Red Devils invested €42.5 million to sign Zirkzee in 2024 and are believed to favour either a permanent sale or, at the very least, a loan containing an obligation to buy rather than a simple option. There were discussions internally about including Francisco Conceição in a potential package, but the Portuguese winger is keen to remain in Turin, effectively ruling out that possibility.

Although Zirkzee’s current market valuation has fallen since his arrival in England, Manchester United are still expected to push for terms that allow them to recover as much of their investment as possible.

A return to Serie A feels like the right move for Joshua Zirkzee. His best football came in Italy, where his technical ability and link-up play were perfectly suited to the league’s tactical style. From Juventus’ perspective, the player makes plenty of sense, but the proposed loan with an option to buy is unlikely to satisfy Manchester United. Unless the Bianconeri are willing to convert that into an obligation or improve the financial package, the negotiations could prove more complicated than the player’s willingness to make the move.