There are risks and rewards to betting big on youth.
If any club is testament as to the benefits of such an approach, it is Manchester United. A club who’s success under Sir Alex Ferguson was built upon the foundations of those ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’, and who lifted the FA Cup last season thanks to goals from Carrington graduates Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
But after spending £64 million on one inexperienced attacker last summer and seemingly readying themselves for to bring in another youngster for big-money 12 months on, are United going about their pursuit of a new centre-forward correctly?
Reports emerging on Tuesday night suggested that the Red Devils may just have stolen a march on AC Milan in pursuit of Bologna’s balletic Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee.
With a £34 million release clause in his contract – and having only recently turned 23 – the former Bayern Munich youngster represents potentially outstanding longevity and value for money.
But ‘potential’ and ‘proven’ are two very different things. And one Serie A expert wonders if Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund – the former making his name at Bologna and the latter arriving from Atalanta – are really capable of firing United back to the summit of English football.
Manchester United want Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna
Neither youngster was particularly prolific in Italy, and Don Hutchison feels United may be better off splashing out on a man with a proven track record such as an Ivan Toney.
“(Zirkzee is a) great player,” Hutchison tells ESPN FC. “My worry is Rasmus Hojlund and himself… Two fantastic young players but, you throw them together, both of them are not prolific.
“They are young and they have got energy. And Zirkzee is the talent. He’s skilful, he can play different positions. But, if you’re Man United, don’t you want the experienced striker? Don’t you want the 25 goals a season. Do you not want that man who is going to guarantee the goals?
“If you are going to go young and make Man United a young team again, if that is the project, then that’s fair, ” adds the former Scotland, Everton and West Ham midfielder. “But- and this sounds harsh – they are not going to be relieable in terms of their numbers.”
Then again, how many strikers are there on the market who offer a ‘guarantee’ of goals? Toney, perhaps, but he is five years older than Zirkzee and a lot more expensive.
Can Zirkzee and Hojlund transform United’s attack?
And it’s not as if Man United have enjoyed much success in recent years when embarking upon a policy which saw a number of so-called ‘readymade stars’ arriving at Old Trafford. At a time when rivals Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal were reaping rewards for betting big on potential, United’s approach to the transfer market felt increasingly flawed and outdated.
There is a reason why Sir Jim Ratcliffe has spoken out about his desire to bring the ‘next Mbappe’ and the ‘next Bellingham’ to the red side of Manchester. United going back to their roots with signings like Hojlund Zirkzee and Jarrad Branthwaite reminiscent of a time when the Red Devils were a genuine trendsetter in the market.
And Hojlund, lest we forget, enjoyed his best-ever season under Erik ten Hag in 2023/24, scoring a respectable 16 goals while coming on leaps and bounds in terms of his all-round gameplay.