Napoli are now on the hunt for a new centre-forward to replace the injured Romelu Lukaku, but recent updates suggest that new Partenopei striker will not be Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee, who is not for sale. 

Napoli told Zirkzee is not for sale by Manchester United

Lukaku has been ruled out for a minimum of three months with a serious injury to his thigh, which he suffered during a pre-season friendly against Olympiacos on Thursday, just over a week before the club’s Serie A opener against Sassuolo coming up this Saturday. 

Reports on Monday suggest that Napoli will return to the transfer market to bring in a new striker, given that summer recruit Lorenzo Lucca is now the only recognised senior striker on the club’s books following the departures of Giovanni Simeone and Giacomo Raspadori this window. 

Several names have already been linked with a move to join Antonio Conte and the team at the Stadio Maradona, including Zirkzee, his Manchester United teammate Rasmus Hojlund, Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, Roma’s Artem Dovbyk, Lecce’s Nikola Krstovic and Sassolo’s Andrea Pinamonti. 

What has already become evident, however, is that Zirkzee is not up for sale, and that Manchester United intend to keep hold of the former Bologna forward for the 2025-26 campaign according to reports from various outlets in Italy.