By Joe Coleman

“Maybe I’m a little different than others. But being different is good, right?”

Those were Joshua Zirkzee’s comments from the summer of 2024, following his £37 million move to Manchester United, when asked what fans could expect from him.

Instead of identifying as a ‘No.9’ or a ‘No.10’, the Netherlands international opted to describe himself as a ‘9.5’ — a blend between a traditional striker and a textbook attacking midfielder. To say it irked United fans would be an understatement.

However, Zirkzee’s shortcomings at Old Trafford (just eight goals in 60 games) can be considered an unfair reflection of a player who had been named in the Serie A Team of the Year and won the league’s Best Under-23 award just months before his move to Manchester.

Erik ten Hag’s dismissal shortly after signing Zirkzee, combined with subsequent niggling injuries, undoubtedly hampered any progress, and a fresh start could be exactly what the 24-year-old requires. Enter West Ham United.

The Hammers are in dire need of firepower at the top end of the pitch, with Niclas Füllkrug expected to officially confirm his loan move to AC Milan imminently, offering Zirkzee the opportunity to lead the line and fulfil his dream of operating in the ether between midfield and attack.

Standing at 6ft 4in and weighing just under 100kg, Zirkzee has a similar build to former Hammers hero Marko Arnautović. The Austrian bullied defenders for fun in east London, with his blend of raw physicality and intricate skill proving almost impossible to stop.

Zirkzee uses his undoubted physical qualities to good effect when he drops deep, rolling opposing players before laying off through balls to more advanced teammates in wide positions. It is here where he could thrive at West Ham, supplying Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, or even reported target Adama Traoré with ample ammunition to get in behind opposition defences and wreak havoc.

Currently, the Hammers lack the necessary physical presence to worry centre-backs, or to occupy space and markers in a way that allows their dangerous wide players to thrive. A move for Zirkzee could afford those fleet-footed forwards the chance to pull wide, safe in the knowledge that space will open up centrally.

Although it would almost certainly need to be a loan move due to financial constraints, signing Zirkzee could be the perfect foil to unlock opposition defences for Nuno Espírito Santo, who has often relied on a physically dominant centre-forward. Chris Wood at Nottingham Forest was the ideal target man, allowing Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi to run amok in the Premier League last season.

The Hammers may have to act quickly if rumoured interest from Roma bears fruit, but bringing in Zirkzee could prove a masterstroke. After all, a January loan move for a Manchester United attacker has worked out just fine before.