January 8th 2025.
Former Manchester United player Wes Brown has expressed his disappointment with the treatment that current player Joshua Zirkzee received from the club's fans during a recent match. Zirkzee, who joined United from Bologna last summer for a hefty fee of £36.5m, has been struggling to find his footing at Old Trafford and his performance hit a new low during a Premier League match against Newcastle United in December.
Despite starting the game, Zirkzee was substituted off after just 33 minutes due to the team conceding two early goals. As he made his way off the pitch, the crowd could be heard jeering him - a sight that Brown found shocking and unprecedented in his time at the club. Zirkzee then headed to the dressing room before returning to the bench for the remainder of the game.
Brown was appalled by the fans' reaction and believes it was a "horrible moment" for Zirkzee, stating that it should not be happening at a club like Manchester United. "Seeing and hearing Joshua Zirkzee get booed was horrible and Manchester United fans shouldn't be doing it," said Brown, a seven-time Premier League winner, in an interview with The Sports Daily.
He further added that Zirkzee did not deserve such treatment and hopes that he receives a warm welcome from the fans in the future. "The manager had to make a change and unfortunately, it was him who had to come off. But he hasn't done anything to deserve being booed, and no fan should be booing their own player," said Brown.
The former player also mentioned that he cannot recall a similar incident happening during his time at the club, and it is not something that should be associated with Manchester United. However, reports suggest that Zirkzee is eager to leave the club just six months after joining, with Juventus showing interest and offering Dusan Vlahovic in a potential deal.
Regarding the transfer speculation, United manager Ruben Amorim stated that he wants to keep Zirkzee in the team, but the January transfer window is open and anything can happen. He urged the team to focus on their performance and upcoming games, with a tough match against Arsenal in the FA Cup on Sunday.
Zirkzee is not the only player linked with a potential transfer, with Marcus Rashford reportedly set to leave and Casemiro eyeing a move to Saudi Arabia. Despite the team's recent struggles, they showed resilience in their last game against league leaders Liverpool, holding them to a 2-2 draw. And they will be looking to replicate that performance against Arsenal, as they aim to progress in the FA Cup.
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