Second Man Utd star decides to leave after being benched against Wolves

Amorim decided to bench him on Monday night (Picture: Getty Images)

Joshua Zirkzee is set on leaving Manchester United in January after being left out of Ruben Amorim ’s starting XI against Wolves on Monday night.

The Netherlands international has been one of the victims of United’s lighter fixture schedule this season, making just three appearances off the bench across the opening 11 games of the Premier League campaign.

That peripheral role left Zirkzee considering his future , desperate for first-team football with a place in Netherlands’ World Cup squad next summer in his sights. England’s Kobbie Mainoo faces a similar dilemma with the midfielder desperate to leave on loan next month.

Injuries to Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha offered him a route back into the team, starting three games in a row against Everton, Crystal Palace and West Ham United. While rusty in the home defeat to Everton , the former Bologna star got on the score sheet with a fine finish away to Palace.

But with Cunha fit again on Monday night, Zirkzee lost his place in the starting XI, coming on for the final six minutes.

Sesko is also thought to be nearing a return to fitness and is expected to have a role to play in the coming games.

While United will be down two attacking options in Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo when they jet off for the Africa Cup of Nations, Zirkzee has reportedly reiterated his desire to leave Old Trafford.

Zirkzee started three games in a row recently (Picture: Getty)

Gazzetta dello Sport report his role on the bench at Molineux ‘definitively convinced’ the Dutchman to leave United this winter.

United and Roma have been in contact for a number of weeks but the Serie A side are now ready to step up negotiations led by Roma’s sporting director Frederic Massara.

The Premier League side are ready to let Zirkzee leave on loan until the end of the season with an obligation to make the move permanent for €35million at the end of the season.

Roma are prepared to meet those demands on the condition the obligation to buy is triggered upon qualification for next season’s Champions League – a similar arrangement in place with Napoli and Rasmus Hojlund.

Mainoo also keen to leave in January (Picture: Getty)

Roma are also keen to get a deal don as quickly as possible.