Man United ‘close doors’ on outgoing transfer after Ruben Amorim exit – leaving Roma scrambling around for new January striker target

Manchester United have now ‘closed all doors’ to Joshua Zirkzee in the January transfer window , according to Roma director Ricky Massara.

Zirkzee, 24, was eager to leave Old Trafford this month before Ruben Amorim was sacked by the Premier League giants, having fallen out of favour with the Portuguese boss.

Now, with Amorim gone and caretaker boss Darren Fletcher in charge before an interim head coach is hired until the end of the season, it appears United no longer have plans to let Zirkzee leave.

Massara, who earlier this week admitted the managerial change had ‘complicated’ Roma’s pursuit of the Dutchman, has claimed the prospect of a deal being agreed in January looks ‘highly unlikely’. 

‘Manchester United have closed all doors now with the managerial change,’ Massara said, referring to Amorim’s departure. 

‘It looks highly unlikely to sign Zirkzee now’.

The Dutchman looked set to leave in January after falling out of favour with Ruben Amorim

But according to Roma director Ricky Massara, Amorim’s exit has led to Zirkzee being blocked

Amorim was axed by Red Devils owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos on Monday after he explosively criticised the club’s hierarchy in the wake of Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road last weekend.

Roma, who are in the market for a new forward and had earmarked Zirkzee as a priority signing, have now been forced to shop elsewhere in the January window.

‘We know this window is an opportunity to reinforce the squad in an area where we have struggled to convert chances into goals, so we will try to use it,’ Massara revealed earlier this week.

Despite the move for Zirkzee now appearing to have collapsed, Roma are also targeting a move for Atletico Madrid forward Giacomo Raspadori.

‘It’s true that there are negotiations in progress with both Atletico Madrid and Raspadori,’ Massara confirmed. 

‘The situation is evolving, we knew the timing could be affected by the Spanish Supercup. We expect it to be resolved one way or another fairly soon.’

Zirkzee signed for Manchester United in a £37.5million move from Bologna in 2024 but struggled to anchor down a consistent first-team role prior to Amorim’s exit.

The same can be said for Red Devils youth academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo, whose role under Amorim was limited despite him showing signs of promise and potential with previous head coach Erik ten Hag.

Kobbie Mainoo (right), like Zirkzee, did not play regular football under Amorim – the pair appear in high spirits as they are pictured ahead of Man United’s clash with Burnley on Wednesday

According to caretaker boss Darren Fletcher, Mainoo is in a ‘good place’ after Amorim’s exit

Ahead of United’s FA Cup third round clash with Brighton on Sunday, Fletcher revealed Mainoo is in a ‘ good place’, playing down talk of a possible January exit.  

‘He seems in a good place,’ he said. ‘Kobbie doesn’t give you much [indication], so you wouldn’t know if he was in a good place or not so good!

‘He’s like that, that’s his natural way. But I know him well, and I’ve known him for a long time, and I’ve seen him around the building and around different places, throughout the season. Not so much about the building, but you see people around. And I’ve had conversations with him, in general.

‘But he’s in a good place. I know Kobbie, and I think he knows me, and he knows Travis Binnion, so he’s comfortable with his environment.

‘So, he’s in a good place. He’s trained well and, as I said, he’s hard to read, Kobbie, so that remains to be seen.’