Manchester United added Joshua Zirkzee to their squad this summer to offer a new option alongside Rasmus Hojlund in attack. The Dutch forward made an immediate impact by scoring the decisive goal in his debut against Fulham.
However, both Hojlund and Zirkzee have been put on notice that they are competing for the starting striker position at United. Hojlund, who arrived at Old Trafford last summer in a £72 million transfer from Atalanta, had a challenging start but finished his debut season with 16 goals across all competitions. With Hojlund currently sidelined due to injury, Zirkzee’s strong start has intensified the competition between the two.
Former United star Dimitar Berbatov emphasized the importance of Hojlund stepping up once he returns from injury if he wants to reclaim his spot. “Hojlund’s goal ratio must improve. He can do better, but it comes down to concentration,” Berbatov told FUTBIN. He added, “There’s going to be competition, and with so much football to be played, it’s good to have different options for different games. Sometimes it’s difficult for strikers to understand why they’ve been benched, but that’s the manager’s job. My hope is that both Hojlund and Zirkzee start scoring as soon as possible because that’s how strikers are judged.”
Berbatov also highlighted the broader aspects of a striker’s role, noting, “I look for how they open up the pitch, create space for teammates, control the ball, and follow the game. But ultimately, for Zirkzee and Hojlund, scoring goals is paramount.”
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has expressed his satisfaction with Zirkzee’s start, praising the new signing for bringing qualities to the squad that Hojlund doesn’t offer. “It’s very good for a striker to score the winning goal in his first game. We’re very happy with him,” Ten Hag said. “He has some attributes we didn’t have before, especially in linking up and combining with others. But he also needs to arrive in the box and score goals, which he did.”
Ten Hag noted that Zirkzee has been following a tailored fitness program and has now integrated into full team training, signaling his readiness to contribute more as the season progresses.
