Joshua Zirkzee has so far been left behind the expectations at Manchester United. For an expert, this is due to the search for his optimal position.
TV expert Martin O’Neill criticized the former Bayern player Joshua Zirkzee. The former Irish national coach sees the ideal role of the ideal role of Manchester United in the search for the ideal role of the previously unfulfilled expectations.
“He doesn’t know his position,” said O’Neill on the sidelines of the 0-1 defeat by Manunited near Nottingham Forest at TNT Sports . Expert colleague Rio Ferdinand saw a wrong nine in Zirkzee. “You said, nine and a half – that must be a shoe size,” replied O’Neill.
The 73-year-old saw a problem in the unclear role. “This is a nice position. You can disappear. You are not number 9, so you don’t have to worry about scoring, you are not number 10 because you are not creative.”
Expert from Zirkzeee Transfer surprised
He had seen Zirkzee playing at FC Bologna last season, added O’Neill, “and frankly I would not have thought that he would switch to Manunited for 35 million pounds (around 42 million euros, editor’s note) . He is a good player, a good footballer, but he has to play the ball aggressive.”
Circle itself could hardly explain his role. “It is difficult to say because I played in the 10 position and today I play in the striker position. I would say I was lying in between,” said the Dutch.
Ferdinand also admitted: “He is not quite sure, he has not yet established himself in the Premier League.”
Zirkzee last scored in early December
In 30 Premier League games for Manchester United, Circle tea score three goals and two assists. Most recently, the 23-year-old met in early December 2024, in the 4-0 win against Everton FC, he laced a double pack.
Circle was initially trained in the youth of FC Bayern after its change in 2017 by Feyenoord Rotterdam to Munich. At his Bundesliga debut in December 2019, he marked his first goal, but the hoped -for breakthrough with the record champions failed to materialize.
After borrowing to Parma and Anderlecht, Zirkzeee moved to Bologna in 2022. Last season he had a large part in the surprising qualification for the Champions League in Serie A with eleven goals and four assists.