Manchester United have blocked a proposed January move for Joshua Zirkzee to Roma with no incoming or outgoing business on the table until they appoint a new permanent manager.
Zirkzee was among the clutch of players who grew frustrated with his limited role under Amorim this term.
Zirkzee did not start any of United’s first 11 league matches of the season but injuries for Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha opened the door again, starting games against Everton, Crystal Palace and West Ham United.
He has started just one of the last seven since then, however, forcing him closer to the Old Trafford exit.
Reports in Italy claimed United would consider letting Zirkzee leave once Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo have returned from international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. It was also claimed the Dutchman said yes to a move to Roma after encouraging talks with Giallorossi head coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
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But major developments in Manchester have halted those plans. United sacked Amorim on Monday with Darren Fletcher placed in temporary charge.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick are expected to step in as interim boss until the end of the season when a new permanent head coach will be appointed.
Roma’s director of sport Frederic Massara has now revealed United have called off any proposed deals this month with ‘no movement’ expected in the coming weeks.
Massara told DAZN Italia: ‘With regards to Zirkzee, at this moment Manchester United have completely closed off any discussion about the transfer market.
‘With the change of coach, they don’t want any movement. So it seems very improbable that they’ll change their minds.’
Zirkzee joined United from Bologna in the summer of 2024 for a fee of £36.5million, scoring just seven times in his debut season, adding just two more this term.
Dutch legend Ruud Gullit recently insisted his countryman made the ‘wrong decision’ moving to Manchester, insisting he should have stayed in Italy.
‘I think from my point of view that he should have stayed in Italy, because he was really striving,’ Gullit told Metro in November.
‘He was really doing well at Bologna, and I was hoping that he would go to Milan. I think that as soon as he went to Manchester United, it was the wrong decision.
‘I mean, for a lot of players, moving to Manchester United has been the wrong decision. And whoever leaves them, plays well everywhere around Europe. I just hope that there’s a solution for him.
‘Go back to Italy on loan if you can. Just play football. He’s a good player. But at the moment, it’s difficult at Manchester United.’
