Man Utd reject Everton's deadline-day loan bid to keep Zirkzee at Old Trafford

Manchester United have turned down a deadline-day loan approach from Everton for striker Joshua Zirkzee, confirming the Netherlands international will stay at Old Trafford at least until the January transfer window.

Everton submitted a proposal to bring Zirkzee to Goodison Park on loan as they sought to strengthen their attacking options before the summer window closed. The Toffees had identified the 23-year-old as a fallback option after their pursuit of Monaco striker Folarin Balogun ran into difficulties, with reports suggesting that deal was in doubt ahead of the deadline.

While Zirkzee was understood to be open to the move to Merseyside, United’s swift rejection left no time to source a replacement, effectively ending any prospect of a switch. Earlier in the summer, Fiorentina and Juventus had also been linked with the striker, though neither Serie A club could agree terms for a deal that would have taken him back to Italy.

Zirkzee has found himself marginalised at Old Trafford following a busy summer of recruitment. The arrivals of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, and Matheus Cunha last year significantly reduced his playing time, and he has yet to feature this season, serving as an unused substitute in United’s opening Premier League fixtures against Hull City and Ipswich Town.

United manager Michael Carrick, speaking after Saturday’s 5-2 win over Ipswich, was measured when asked about potential late additions to the squad. “It’s always difficult to say, to be honest, when there’s so little time left,” Carrick said. “I think the business that we’ve managed to do, I’m pleased with. I think we’re a better group, a better squad, potentially a better team. Adding Marcus [Rashford] into that feels like a new signing. We’re always open to if there’s something else to be able to add, so I wouldn’t shut that down, but as it stands, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Zirkzee’s immediate future now appears to be at United, though his lack of minutes and the depth of competition ahead of him in the pecking order suggest the January window could bring renewed interest in the striker.