Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has confirmed that Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee will miss the rest of the campaign with an injury.
The Netherlands international suffered the injury in Sunday’s 4-1 loss at Newcastle United and will now be out for the remainder of the campaign.
Speaking ahead of their Europa League second leg clash against French side Olympique Lyonnais after an entertaining 2-2 draw in the reverse leg last week, Amorim told reporters that Zirkzee will play no further part this season.
He said: “Joshua is out for the season. He is not going to play anymore this season. We must prepare him for next season. It is hard for any player to stop, but it’s football. He has to be ready to recover.”
Zirkzee moved to England from Bologna last summer and has struggled to replicate the form that made the Red Devils splash £36.5 million on his signature, scoring just seven goals in 48 appearances in all competitions.
“It is tough, he was improving in every aspect of the game. It is tough for any player but he has to be ready to recover”, Amorim added.
The Red Devils are left with only Rasmus Hojlund and teenager Chido Obi-Martin as their only options upfront, as they hope to win the Europa League to salvage a disappointing campaign.
Manchester United have endured a torrid season so far, and despite the arrival of Amorim from Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon in November, have struggled to win games sitting 14th on the English Premier League standings, two points above West Ham United in 17th place.
The English giants host Lyon on Thursday, hoping to secure a win to advance to the semifinals for a date against either Rangers or Athletic Bilbao.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
