Despite a disappointing season under Michael Carrick, the Dutch forward’s stance on leaving Old Trafford has shifted as Italian giants prepare a move for the struggling striker.
After last season's major overhaul of the attack with the signings of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Šeško, Manchester United looks like a potent threat going forward.
All three forwards registered at least 10 goals this season, which makes them also the club's top three goal scorers, with Mbeumo scoring 11 and the other two bagging 10 across the season.
However, beyond these three and Bruno Fernandes, the other offensive players did not have as successful a season.
Amad was a wing-back for half the season and missed a portion of the season due to AFCON, but even still, two goals and three assists are from his very best.
Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount also struggled with consistent minutes but did not make the most of opportunities when provided. Therefore, their futures could lie away from Old Trafford.
Zirkzee's future still up in the air
Ever since the end of the last season, the Dutch striker has constantly been linked with a move away. Rumours heated up massively across January, with the player out of favour with Rúben Amorim and wanting more minutes to force his way into the Netherlands World Cup team.
Even under Michael Carrick, his game time did not drastically increase, and he is now confirmed not to be heading to the World Cup. With only two goals and one assist all season, it has been a very difficult time for him so far at the club.
Despite this, according to Pete Hall, the player has cooled his agitation to leave the club and is content to stay at the club. However, the club could still cash in on the player, with Roma still admiring the player and having a long-standing interest in him.
Zirkzee is, by all accounts, an incredibly popular player among the squad, but is a player low on confidence. If he were to stay, there would be more game time available in Europe, which may better suit his tempo of play.
Testemant to Carrick's management
It is well known that despite his shortcomings at the club, Amorim removed players who became a detriment to the squad and tried to cultivate a new mentality in the squad. While it worked for some, he also, in turn, isolated players like Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo.
However, the fact that Zirkzee is now willing to stay, Mainoo has signed a new contract, and big players such as Cunha and Mbeumo are willing, at times, to be benched, says a lot about Carrick.
In a season where United have played so few games, squad rotation becomes much harder and keeping everyone happy is a major challenge. But it seems as though Carrick has created an environment in which each player knows their role and is willing to run through brick walls for the club.
Such great man-management cannot be understated, as if you do not have players willing to work for you, then you cannot expect them to effectively carry out tactical instructions.
