Manchester United’s attacking crisis has deepened, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to find the net in 2025.
Despite their combined £100m price tag, both strikers were overlooked in Sunday’s loss to Crystal Palace, as manager Ruben Amorim opted for midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in a makeshift attacking role.
Alan Shearer has suggested the decision could leave Hojlund and Zirkzee questioning their futures at Old Trafford.
“They’ll be feeling very flat,” Shearer told Betfair, emphasizing that Amorim’s choice signals a lack of faith in the struggling forwards.
United chose not to strengthen their attack in the January window, even as Marcus Rashford and Antony departed on loan.
Their pursuit of Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel fell through due to high loan demands, leading the youngster to sign with Tottenham instead.
With just five goals between them all season, Hojlund and Zirkzee have failed to make an impact. Amorim’s desperate tactical switch underscores United’s deep-rooted issues, which Shearer warns won’t be fixed in a single transfer window.
While new signings Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven arrived in January, the lack of attacking reinforcements leaves Amorim facing a long-term rebuild—one that Hojlund and Zirkzee might not be a part of.