Joshua Zirkzee to Fiorentina: Could Man United transfer still happen? Football Whispers Index score

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Joshua Zirkzee to Fiorentina: Could Man United transfer still happen? Football Whispers Index score
Joshua Zirkzee to Fiorentina - Photo by Iconsport/Fredrik Aremyr/Bildbyran/Lisa Guglielmi/LiveMedia

Joshua Zirkzee has turned down a move to Fiorentina, with Fabrizio Romano reporting the Netherlands international rejected the Serie A side's revised proposal on 30 August.

Fiorentina responded by agreeing a permanent deal for Everton striker Beto worth £18m, leaving their pursuit of the Manchester United forward all but over before the transfer deadline.

Juventus have since entered the picture as Zirkzee's preferred destination, though a fresh move to Turin remains unresolved with the Serie A window closing on 1 September.

The Football Whispers Index scores every transfer rumour across five weighted factors. Read how it works here.

Joshua Zirkzee to Fiorentina rated ‘Unlikely'

Joshua Zirkzee to Fiorentina — Football Whispers Index
Football Whispers Index: Transfer predictor

Joshua Zirkzee to Fiorentina

Unlikely
Zirkzee turned down Fiorentina's revised proposal and the Viola have already agreed a permanent deal for Everton's Beto instead.
Updated
Financial viability21 / 25
Buying club need11 / 20
Player motivation6 / 15
Selling club incentive17 / 20
Market momentum0 / 20
Financial viability21 / 25
  • Fiorentina's revised proposal was a €5m loan fee with a €30m buy option, a fraction of the £36.5m Man Utd paid Bologna for Zirkzee in July 2024.
  • Zirkzee earns £105,000 per week at Old Trafford, a wage that would have made him Fiorentina's highest earner.
  • Man Utd are now holding out for a fee closer to €35m for any permanent departure, well above Fiorentina's proposed terms.
Buying club need11 / 20
  • Fiorentina agreed a permanent deal for Everton's Beto worth £18m, closing the centre-forward gap that Zirkzee would have filled.
  • Sporting director Fabio Paratici turned to Beto directly after Zirkzee's rejection, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.
  • Moise Kean's expected departure to Como no longer creates an opening for Zirkzee now that a direct replacement is in place.
Player motivation6 / 15
  • Zirkzee personally informed Fiorentina on 30 August that he would not accept the move, according to Fabrizio Romano.
  • Juventus have since approached Man Utd about signing Zirkzee instead, with the player said to prefer a move to Turin.
  • Zirkzee has been an unused substitute in both of Man Utd's opening two Premier League games this season, stuck behind Sesko, Cunha, Rashford and Mbeumo in the pecking order.
Selling club incentive17 / 20
  • Zirkzee has played just 127 minutes since Michael Carrick's arrival, with Benjamin Sesko established as Man Utd's first-choice striker.
  • Zirkzee scored two Premier League goals in 24 appearances last season, down from three in 32 the year before.
  • Man Utd are holding out for at least €35m for any exit, a figure that includes both a loan fee and a permanent transfer sum.
Market momentum0 / 20
  • Fabrizio Romano confirmed on 30 August that Zirkzee turned down Fiorentina's €5m loan and €30m buy option proposal.
  • Gianluca Di Marzio reported the same evening that Fiorentina had turned to Beto instead, with the Everton forward's move to Florence already agreed.
  • Sky Sport Italia and Yahoo Sports have both independently confirmed the rejection and Fiorentina's pivot to an alternative target.
The verdict44 / 100
The number sits in Unlikely because Zirkzee has personally rejected the move and Fiorentina have already agreed a permanent deal for a different striker.
It only happens now if Fiorentina's deal for Beto collapses and Zirkzee has a change of heart before the transfer deadline.
It stays dead if Beto's move to Florence completes as expected, which would remove Fiorentina's need for a replacement altogether.

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Byron is a sports journalist based in South Africa. He has a Media degree from the University of Kwa Zulu Natal and has been writing football content since 2019. Byron is also a sports presenter with experience in radio particularly.

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