Joshua Zirkzee has been dropped from the Netherlands squad after Ronald Koeman declared the striker isn’t at the required level. The Manchester United forward has struggled to make an impact in his first season at Old Trafford following his summer transfer from Bologna.
Despite flashes of promise in recent weeks, Zirkzee has failed to convince Koeman, who opted against including him in the squad despite a shortage of strikers. The Dutch manager was direct in his assessment, saying, “He wasn’t in the preliminary selection because I don’t think he’s good enough at the moment.”
Koeman elaborated on his decision, pointing to Zirkzee’s struggles with ball control and decision-making. “Especially scanning when turning or passing often goes wrong,” he explained. “Even with our limited attacking options, you still have to earn your selection, and I don’t think he deserves that now.”
Zirkzee’s performance against Arsenal on Sunday did little to change perceptions, as Gabriel and William Saliba easily contained him. United legend Paul Scholes was critical of his display, questioning his role in the team.
The 23-year-old’s exclusion comes amid reports that United considered cutting ties with him in January. However, he has worked to rebuild his reputation after being hauled off in the first half of a defeat against Newcastle in December.
“Zirkzee was a little bit disappointing today,” Scholes told Premier League Productions. “I’m not sure if he’s a number nine or a number ten. I don’t really know what he brings to the team.”
Scholes added that both United and Arsenal are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements. “Rasmus Hojlund is still struggling, and both teams are crying out for attacking players,” he said.
With Koeman’s blunt assessment and continued struggles at club level, Zirkzee faces a crucial period in his career. Whether he can prove his critics wrong remains to be seen.