Man United transfer news: Joshua Zirkzee 'requests' iconic shirt number

The Netherlands international is believed to be on the verge of joining Erik ten Hag's side on a five-year contract after Man United agreed to pay a £35.7m package for his services.

The Red Devils are expected to shell out that fee over three years to capture Zirkzee, who failed to make the grade at Bayern Munich but was fundamental to Bologna's shock Champions League qualification last season.

Zirkzee registered 11 goals of his own and set up five more in 34 appearances during the 2023-24 Serie A campaign, also earning glances from Arsenal and AC Milan in the process.

The 23-year-old's preference was originally thought to have been a switch to San Siro, whom he had allegedly agreed personal terms with, but Man United eventually shook hands with Bologna over a fee.

Zirkzee 'asks' for number nine shirt at Man United

However, Zirkzee has apparently made one significant request to Man United, according to The Mirror, who claim that the Dutchman is after the iconic number nine shirt for his debut campaign at Old Trafford.

The striker's jersey is currently awaiting its next taker, as its previous owner - Anthony Martial - left the club at the end of June when his contract expired, ending a nine-year stay at the Theatre of Dreams.

Zirkzee may still run into a significant roadblock in his efforts to don the '9', though, as the report adds that his soon-to-be striker rival Rasmus Hojlund - who currently sports the number 11 - also has his eyes on that shirt.

Zirkzee's move to Old Trafford is expected to accelerate in the wake of the Netherlands' elimination from Euro 2024, where the 23-year-old won his first two caps for his country against Turkey and England, who beat Oranje 2-1 in the semi-finals.

Which players have previously worn number nine for Man United?

Were Zirkzee to pip Hojlund to the number nine shirt immediately, the 23-year-old would be following in the footsteps of his predecessor Martial, who also wore the '9' in his debut campaign in the 2015-16 season.

The former Monaco man only owned that jersey for one campaign, though, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic was unsurprisingly bestowed with the number nine shirt in 2016-17, before Romelu Lukaku sported it for two seasons.

Upon Lukaku's departure for Inter Milan, Martial regained possession of the '9' in the summer of 2019 and initially did it justice, but the Frenchman ultimately failed to live up to his high potential at Old Trafford.

Nevertheless, Martial kept hold of the '9' for each of his last five seasons at Old Trafford, and a host of celebrated names - such as Eric Cantona, Andy Cole, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, George Best and Sir Bobby Charlton have also donned that jersey down the years.

However, Wayne Rooney was never Man United's number nine - instead sporting the '8' and '10' - and neither did newly-appointed coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, who also donned the latter shirt throughout his Old Trafford career.