Manchester United’s pre-season preparations are firmly underway this week, with several players impressing in initial training sessions.
The summer break is over, and Ruben Amorim is now full steam ahead toward the 2025-26 campaign.
Manchester United’s pre-season commenced this week, with most of the squad returning to Carrington on Monday. This saw the team put through their paces immediately with fitness tests, before Tuesday saw on-field work being done.
Matheus Cunha has instantly impressed for United, while to a lesser extent, Diego Leon has also shown positives, with Amorim left beaming by the Paraguayan wing-back.
Time on the training pitch will be a welcome treat for Amorim as he got straight onto the full-sized pitch. Here, Amorim put United players through tactical sessions, based on in-game scenarios.
During these sessions, there is one player in particular whose stocks have risen.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty ImagesJoshua Zirkzee used as a striker during Manchester United pre-season training
Manchester United’s pursuit of a new striker looks unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, and so Amorim might have to use the options currently available to him.
One player who may benefit from no number nine being signed is Joshua Zirkzee. The £36m forward had an up-and-down debut campaign at Old Trafford, but United staff are optimistic that Zirkzee can kick on.
Over the summer break, Zirkzee was spotted working on his finishing, which was one of the weakest areas of his game last season. However, in training clips this pre-season, the Dutchman has looked lethal in front of goal.
Back on the grass 😍
The first training footage of pre-season is in! 📲
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 9, 2025
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Zirkzee scored a couple of goals in the training clip, including one which was a jumping, spinning back-heel, which ended up in the net to show the renewed confidence Zirkzee has in his finishing.
Zirkzee also finished off a few moves in a more traditional manner, all of which are encouraging signs of what he could achieve during the 2025-26 season.
Finishing was United’s big problem last season, and so Amorim will be impressed by Zirkzee’s strides.
If Manchester United don’t sign a striker then Zirkzee should be the starter
Heading into the summer, United looked guaranteed to sign a new starting number nine, and while this may yet happen, signs are not positive.
United are being linked with free agents, such as Jamie Vardy and Callum Wilson, although neither of these would be the upgrade that Amorim is seeking up front.
So in this case, United’s starting number nine next season might end up being Zirkzee. Already, Bruno Fernandes has tipped Zirkzee for big things in the 2025-26 campaign.
Zirkzee starting up top, with Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo on either side of him, forms a strong trio that, in theory, should tally up plenty of goals next season.
However, ideally, United will sign a 20-goal-per-season striker.