MANCHESTER United is considering selling Joshua Zirkzee in January to help pay for a potential move for Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo.
Image/Inaki Esnaola
Fabrizio Romano says that any money from Zirkzee's sale could be used directly to activate Semenyo's release clause, which is set to expire around January 10.
United needs either a permanent transfer or a loan with a buy option for Zirkzee.
Roma, who are thought to be the main interested club, are looking for a loan with an option to buy rather than a full purchase. Time is running out, and all clubs involved are pushing to act quickly before the clause expires.
Earlier, Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport reported that Roma's sporting director, Frederic Massara, and their chief football operating officer, Maurizio Lombardo, visited London to discuss a possible move for Zirkzee.
They were also talking with both United and Zirkzee's representatives about a deal that includes a mandatory summer transfer with payments spread out over time.
Zirkzee wants to play regularly and isn’t willing to wait until the last minute in January for a decision.
This adds more pressure on all the parties involved to find a solution that fits both their sporting and financial goals.