We 'signed' Joshua Zirkzee for Man United and he helped win Erik ten Hag another trophy

Manchester United have been linked with Bologna's Joshua Zirkzee, but what could happen if the striker actually made the move to Old Trafford this summer?

It's no shock that Man United are in the market for a new striker this summer. With Rasmus Hojlund the only natural number nine in the squad, competition is needed for the striker role after Erik ten Hag's side fell short in attack at times last season.

Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee has been linked with United, with the striker all but certain to leave the Italian club this summer. The likes of Arsenal and AC Milan have also been linked with the 23-year-old who scored 12 and assisted six across all competitions last season.

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So, if United signed Zirkzee, how could the Dutchman perform? We simulated the 2024/25 season to find out.

To set up this simulation, we used Football Manager 2024 to move Zirkzee from Bologna to United in the summer transfer window before simulating the 2024/25 season. This is how the striker performed.

Zirkzee was thrown into the starting XI from the go by Erik ten Hag, with Hojlund dropping out at his expense. It turned out to be a good move from the manager, with Zirkzee playing some fantastic football in his first season at the club.

In 37 games across all competitions, Zirkzee scored 19 goals and grabbed six assists, making him United's top scorer in the simulation. His average rating per game was 7.12, a much better rating than Hojlund (6.9) who started just 12 games all season.

At the end of the 2024/25 season, Football Manager 2024 put together an overall best United XI,