'/%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='prefix__paint0_linear_4737_37157'%20x1='3.018'%20y1='23.6'%20x2='44.925'%20y2='24.977'%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%231CB7FF'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='.502'%20stop-color='%232FF58B'/%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
INEOS Block Zirkzee Exit After £36.5m Striker Shines in Pre-Season
Jul 26 2026 10:48 · By onefootball.com · 4 Reads
Manchester United have reversed their stance on selling Joshua Zirkzee this summer, with INEOS unwilling to sanction a permanent departure after the Dutchman caught the eye in the Reds’ 5-0 pre-season win over Rosenborg
According to TuttoSport, as cited by The People’s Person, United have not given up on their No.11 and will not entertain a permanent sale this summer despite reported interest from Serie A. At most, the club would discuss a loan with no option to buy –
What Zirkzee Did Against Rosenborg
🔴 Follow Stretty News on Google as a preferred source and be first with every United update.
Zirkzee’s two pieces of skill that bamboozled the Rosenborg defence and goalkeeper before he tapped home were a timely reminder of why INEOS spent £36.5 million on him from Bologna two summers ago. His output at United – nine goals across two seasons in all competitions – has been a persistent source of frustration, but his link-up play and ability to drop deep and connect play
Joshua Zirkzee in action for Manchester United during a match against Fulham.
With Benjamin Sesko yet to recover from injury, United currently lack a senior alternative up front. That reality has given Zirkzee an opening.
The Financial Pressure United Are Navigating
The decision involves financial complexity under the new squad cost ratio (SCR) and sustainability and systemic resilience regulations. As The Sun has reported, United would need to sell Zirkzee for at least £22 million to comply with the new squad cost ratio and sustainability and systemic resilience regulations without crystallising a loss. Given his inconsistent Premier League record, extracting that fee in the current window is far from guaranteed.
Juventus are among the clubs monitoring the situation, but whether the Bianconeri would accept a loan with no purchase option – INEOS’s stated position – is another matter.
would suit INEOS: it either earn a sizeable fee then, or reintegrate him back into the squad. Neither outcome is guaranteed, but the decision to avoid taking a hit and not crystallising a loss is the rationale.