Amorim ‘plans’ to use Man Utd star ‘on exit ramp’ in £50m swap deal for top striker
New Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim is hoping to sign Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez in a swap deal for Joshua Zirkzee, according to reports.
The Red Devils sacked Erik ten Hag after a terrible start to the new Premier League season with the Dutchman leading them to just three wins in their opening nine matches.
Ruud van Nistelrooy put four more points on the board in the two Premier League matches since Ten Hag’s departure by beating Leicester City and drawing with Chelsea.
Man Utd moved quickly to bring in Ten Hag’s permanent successor in Amorim with the Portuguese coach arriving in Manchester last week after winning his final match as Sporting Lisbon manager 4-2 against Braga.
And there are already plenty of rumours about which players could arrive in the next couple of transfer windows as the Red Devils look to give Amorim some support.
There are some doubts as to whether Amorim has the right players to suit his 3-4-3 formation, which he preferred to play at Sporting, while there are serious questions about the strikers at Man Utd.
The Red Devils spent a lot of money to bring Rasmus Hojlund and Zirkzee to Old Trafford but the Man Utd duo, although still early days, have so far failed to live up to their exciting reputations.
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Zirkzee is failing to impact matches as hoped with one goal and one assist in 11 Premier League appearances this season.
Previous reports have claimed that Zirkzee is ‘on the exit ramp’ at Old Trafford under new boss Amorim with the Netherlands international unhappy with his playing time.
Reports in Spain now claim that Man Utd and Inter Milan ‘plan to make a swap deal that could end up with Lautaro Martinez in England’.
The Argentina international is said to be the Red Devils’ ‘main objective’ as they search for a prolific striker with Martinez scoring 135 goals in 297 matches for Inter.
Man Utd and Amorim ‘plan to present a proposal that includes 60 million euros (£50m) plus the permanent loan of Joshua Zirkzee’ with the deal allowing ‘the Italian club to secure a replacement with a future while obtaining a significant income’.
Inter ‘seem to think the offer fits into their plans, as it would allow them to earn a considerable amount of money and cover the possible departure of Martínez without weakening the squad’.
The report adds that ‘both parties are working to close an agreement that could become one of the big moves of the next transfer market’.
