Manchester United forwards Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Højlund are both defiantly embracing the challenge that will come with increased competition for places this season.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who scored 15 and 20 Premier League goals respectively in 2024–25, have already arrived for a combined £133.5 million ($176.2 million), with progress also being made with efforts to recruit Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig.

There is an expectation that Cunha and Mbeumo will play alongside each other as split No. 10s in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1, but each is versatile enough for other roles. Šeško would operate as a No. 9, directly competing with Højlund, after Zirkzee performed better deeper last season.

“I’m very confident, everyone’s very confident. We’ve got competition, so whichever position the coach needs me is the position I’ll play—if that’s as a No. 10 or a striker, it’s no different,” Zirkzee told reporters, yet to play in pre-season after a recent injury.

“The coach knows me well and knows exactly what to do and I’ve got 100 per cent trust in the coach so I’m not worried about that. I think [competition] is part of being at this club. If another striker were to come, I guess it’s only good competition, so I’m not really worried. [Cunha and Mbeumo] are two great players. We’ve seen that in training and we’ve seen that last season as well. We’re for the team and that’s what we’re all about. We just want the team to be good.”

Zirkzee scored on his Premier League debut last August as United beat Fulham in their opening game of the season. But his finally tally of five goals and assists in the league fell well short of the 16 he managed in Serie A for Bologna in the prior campaign.

“I’m not here to decide what’s fair and unfair, I just know that me and Rasmus can do better and have to do better. That’s all I can say about that,” Zirkzee continued. “The manager wants goals, so that’s what I have to work on. That’s what it all comes down to. In the end, if you’re up top, you’re supposed to score goals. I’m not going to take that fact away.”

Højlund had impressed with 16 goals across all competitions when he first arrived from Atalanta in the summer of 2023. But his 10 in the Premier League during that season was reduced to only four in 2024–25, amid a struggle for fitness in the early months, limited service and a crisis of confidence.

The Dane, whose opportunities would be most directly affected should Šeško, or another striker be signed, has been linked with a transfer this summer. But, as it stands, that doesn’t seem likely and, if anything, Højlund has suggested he would be happier with competition and support.

“My plan is very clear, that is for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens,” he said to reporters, having scored in the Premier League Summer Series win over Bournemouth.

“Competition is fine with me. It sharpens me. I’m more than ready. I’m feeling sharp so I welcome everything that comes. When I came, [Anthony] Martial was there as well but he had a lot of injuries, so I obviously had to take a lot of the game time.

“You’re not going to tell me I shouldn’t be playing because I want to play every game. But obviously I could have done with some help in terms of sharing the games a bit, especially in the beginning.

“I’m still very young. People forget that sometimes. I’m only 22. Not every striker scores 100 goals by that age,” Højlund continued, perhaps loosely referring to early Erling Haaland comparisons.

“But I’ve learned a lot, I think you can see it in my game. I’m starting to develop and become even better in the basics. Last season was tough on us all. I should have done better, everybody knows. But it’s also a team thing. We’re going to be better now. We are progressing in the right way and looking forward to what’s coming.”

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Joshua Zirkzee, Rasmus Hojlund Respond to Man Utd Striker Search.

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