# Joshua Zirkzee
**Joshua Zirkzee** (Joshua Orobosa Zirkzee, born 2001 in Schiedam, Netherlands) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a forward for Manchester United and the Netherlands national team. He came through Feyenoord's youth system and Bayern Munich, won the [Bundesliga](https://www.edgepedia.org/bundesliga) in his debut senior season, and established himself at Bologna before a transfer of roughly €42.5 million took him to [Old Trafford](https://www.edgepedia.org/old-trafford) in July 2024.[1](https://www.meemetoranje.nl/nederlands-elftal/spelers/joshua-zirkzee/) • [2](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/joshua-zirkzee-joins-bologna/) • [3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/unhappy-manchester-united-player-seeks-january-transfer-exit-report)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2001, Schiedam, Netherlands; Dutch father, Nigerian mother[1](https://www.meemetoranje.nl/nederlands-elftal/spelers/joshua-zirkzee/) |
| Position | Forward, comfortable as a number nine or number 10; described by Thiago Motta and Ronald Koeman as a "nine and a half"[4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee) • [5](https://theanalyst.com/articles/joshua-zirkzee-why-man-utd-fans-will-love-him) |
| Clubs | Feyenoord youth, Bayern Munich (2017), Parma (loan, 2021), Anderlecht (loan, 2021/22), Bologna (2022), Manchester United (2024)[2](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/joshua-zirkzee-joins-bologna/) • [6](https://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/a-z_player_archive/a-z_player_archive_pages/zirkzee_joshua.html) |
| Breakout season | 2023-24 Serie A: 11 goals in 34 appearances for Bologna, named in the league's Team of the Year, Champions League qualification[7](https://fbref.com/en/players/028e70b9/Joshua-Zirkzee) • [4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee) |
| United transfer | Signed 14 July 2024 for £36.5 million (€42.5 million)[3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/unhappy-manchester-united-player-seeks-january-transfer-exit-report) |
| United debut | Winning goal on his Premier League debut against Fulham, 16 August 2024[4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee) |
| International | Senior Netherlands debut at Euro 2024[4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee) |
## Early career and Bayern Munich
Zirkzee began playing football in the Netherlands, spending time in the youth systems of [ADO Den Haag](https://www.edgepedia.org/ado-den-haag) and [Feyenoord](https://www.edgepedia.org/feyenoord) before joining Bayern Munich in 2017.[6](https://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/a-z_player_archive/a-z_player_archive_pages/zirkzee_joshua.html) He made his first-team debut for Bayern in the 2019/20 season, scoring against Freiburg on his debut and again a few days later, and finished his first campaign in men's football with four goals and a Bundesliga title.[2](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/joshua-zirkzee-joins-bologna/)
Playing time was scarce the following season, and he joined Parma on loan in January 2021, a stint cut short by injury.[2](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/joshua-zirkzee-joins-bologna/) A loan to [Anderlecht](https://www.edgepedia.org/anderlecht) in 2021/22 went far better: playing largely in a striking duo, usually alongside the Ivorian Kouamé, he scored 18 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions and helped [Vincent Kompany](https://www.edgepedia.org/vincent-kompany)'s side finish third in the [Belgian Pro League](https://www.edgepedia.org/belgian-pro-league).[2](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/joshua-zirkzee-joins-bologna/)
## Bologna
Bologna signed Zirkzee permanently from Bayern in August 2022, making him the sixth Dutch player in the club's history.[2](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/joshua-zirkzee-joins-bologna/) His two [Serie A](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-a) seasons there produced 13 goals and 7 assists in total.[8](https://as.com/us/futbol/zirkzee-sigue-los-pasos-de-ruud-van-nistelrooy-en-el-united-n/)
The 2023-24 season was his breakout. Under [Thiago Motta](https://www.edgepedia.org/thiago-motta) he started 32 of 34 league appearances, scored 11 goals, and helped Bologna qualify for the Champions League, and he was named in Serie A's Team of the Year.[7](https://fbref.com/en/players/028e70b9/Joshua-Zirkzee) • [4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee) His contribution was more creative than purely goalscoring: he averaged 49.5 touches per 90 minutes, more than any recognized center-forward in the league that season, and his 80 layoffs ranked second among all Serie A players behind only [Marcus Thuram](https://www.edgepedia.org/marcus-thuram).[5](https://theanalyst.com/articles/joshua-zirkzee-why-man-utd-fans-will-love-him) He scored nine non-penalty goals in 34 league appearances, with a 12.8% shot conversion rate and 2.8 shots per 90 minutes, modest figures that reflected how often he dropped away from the most dangerous areas.[5](https://theanalyst.com/articles/joshua-zirkzee-why-man-utd-fans-will-love-him)
## Style of play
Zirkzee is a tall, technical forward who drops deep to link play rather than waiting on the shoulder of the defense. Thiago Motta, his coach at Bologna, and [Ronald Koeman](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronald-koeman), his coach with the Netherlands, both called him a "nine and a half", a mixture of striker and attacking midfielder, and Zirkzee himself told Corriere della Sera, "I'm not a pure centre forward."[5](https://theanalyst.com/articles/joshua-zirkzee-why-man-utd-fans-will-love-him) In 2023-24 he led players who spent at least 85% of their minutes at center-forward in progressive passes (58) and chances created in open play (39), and ranked among the leaders in progressive carries and carries ending in a shot or chance created.[5](https://theanalyst.com/articles/joshua-zirkzee-why-man-utd-fans-will-love-him) He was molded in part on the Cruyff Courts of Schiedam and [Rotterdam](https://www.edgepedia.org/rotterdam), and his game carries the hallmarks of street football: he wants the ball under pressure, shields it, and rolls or spins his marker.[5](https://theanalyst.com/articles/joshua-zirkzee-why-man-utd-fans-will-love-him)
## Manchester United
United signed Zirkzee on 14 July 2024, paying Bologna £36.5 million (€42.5 million).[3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/unhappy-manchester-united-player-seeks-january-transfer-exit-report) He had made his senior Netherlands debut at Euro 2024 that summer, having been left out of the initial squad and called up after a teammate's injury.[4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee) • [9](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/el-gol-dara-confianza-a-zirkzee-n/)
His start in Manchester was immediate. Coming on as a substitute against Fulham on the opening day of the 2024-25 Premier League season, he scored the only goal in the 87th minute, poking in [Alejandro Garnacho](https://www.edgepedia.org/alejandro-garnacho)'s cross after combining with Casemiro, and became the first United player of [Erik ten Hag](https://www.edgepedia.org/erik-ten-hag)'s reign to send the club top of the league on an opening weekend.[10](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/football/joshua-zirkzee-manchester-united-premier-league-b2597653.html) The goal echoed [Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://www.edgepedia.org/ruud-van-nistelrooy), then an assistant coach at the club, who had also scored on his United debut against Fulham in 2001.[8](https://as.com/us/futbol/zirkzee-sigue-los-pasos-de-ruud-van-nistelrooy-en-el-united-n/)
**Scoring proved harder to sustain.** His first Premier League season brought 3 goals and 1 assist in 32 appearances, only 14 of them starts, as United finished 15th.[7](https://fbref.com/en/players/028e70b9/Joshua-Zirkzee) He did not score again in the league until 1 December 2024, when he scored in a 4-0 win over Everton, his first goal since the Fulham debut.[11](https://as.com/us/futbol/zirkzee-se-reencuentra-en-el-united-de-amorim-n/) Across all competitions in 2024-25, he added six further goals to his tally after the debut.[4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee) The following season he was used mostly as a substitute, with 24 appearances of which 19 were from the bench, 2 goals and 1 assist.[12](https://www.premierleague.com/en/players/458249/joshua-zirkzee/career) One of those goals, a smart equalizer away at Crystal Palace in a 2-1 win, was his first Premier League goal in nearly a year.[13](https://www.gulf-times.com/pdf/2025/12/01/sport-20251201-1.pdf?ts=004038) • [4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee)
The wider context was a struggling team: in 2024-25 Zirkzee and fellow striker Rasmus Højlund scored 18 goals between them in all competitions as United recorded 18 league losses, a club record, and a lowest-ever Premier League points total of 42.[14](https://epaper.kashmirobserver.net/uploads/epaper/2025-08/6897f584111fb.pdf)
## International career
Zirkzee made his senior debut for the Netherlands at Euro 2024, entering the tournament as a replacement call-up after an injury.[4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee) • [9](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/el-gol-dara-confianza-a-zirkzee-n/) He has since scored a second international goal for the Dutch national team.[4](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee)
## References
1. [Joshua Zirkzee - Profiel & carrière, Mee Met Oranje](https://www.meemetoranje.nl/nederlands-elftal/spelers/joshua-zirkzee/)
2. [Joshua Zirkzee joins Bologna!, Bologna FC 1909](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/joshua-zirkzee-joins-bologna/)
3. [Unhappy Manchester United player seeks January transfer exit: report, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/unhappy-manchester-united-player-seeks-january-transfer-exit-report)
4. [Joshua Zirkzee - Men's Team, Manchester United FC](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/joshua-zirkzee)
5. [Joshua Zirkzee: A Throwback Maverick Who Will Get Man Utd Fans Off Their Seats, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/articles/joshua-zirkzee-why-man-utd-fans-will-love-him)
6. [Joshua Zirkzee Manchester United forward Profile, Stats & Career Record, MUFC Info](https://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/a-z_player_archive/a-z_player_archive_pages/zirkzee_joshua.html)
7. [Joshua Zirkzee Stats, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/028e70b9/Joshua-Zirkzee)
8. [Zirkzee sigue los pasos de Ruud Van Nistelrooy en el United, AS](https://as.com/us/futbol/zirkzee-sigue-los-pasos-de-ruud-van-nistelrooy-en-el-united-n/)
9. ["El gol dará confianza a Zirkzee", AS](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/el-gol-dara-confianza-a-zirkzee-n/)
10. [Joshua Zirkzee's winner shows why there could be a new dimension to Manchester United this season, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/football/joshua-zirkzee-manchester-united-premier-league-b2597653.html)
11. [Zirkzee se reencuentra en el United de Amorim, AS](https://as.com/us/futbol/zirkzee-se-reencuentra-en-el-united-de-amorim-n/)
12. [Joshua Zirkzee Manchester United Forward, Profile & Stats, Premier League](https://www.premierleague.com/en/players/458249/joshua-zirkzee/career)
13. [Gulf Times, Monday, December 1, 2025](https://www.gulf-times.com/pdf/2025/12/01/sport-20251201-1.pdf?ts=004038)
14. [Kashmir Observer e-paper, August 2025](https://epaper.kashmirobserver.net/uploads/epaper/2025-08/6897f584111fb.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Dutch footballers › Dutch footballers born since 1985*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license