Jamal Musiala had admitted it would be a “dream” to play alongside Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee. The two are close friends having spent time together at Bayern Munich.
And their relationship has led to speculation that Musiala might one day follow Zirkzee to United, after the latter joined from Bologna this summer. The striker reportedly joked with his former Bayern team-mate about a potential switch to Old Trafford.
Musiala has acknowledged the conversation, although played down any suggestions of an imminent move from Bayern, where he has become a key figure.
“You always joke around with friends and dream of playing together in a team one day," the 21-year-old told Welt am Sonntag. "The jokes go both ways: I also told Josh that he should come back to Bayern. But you shouldn’t take that too seriously.
“I am very happy at FC Bayern and fully focused on our goals with the club and the national team. I don’t think too much about where I will be playing in five years. Things can always change quickly in the world of football.”
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Musiala at Old Trafford is not something that seems likely in the foreseeable future then. But if Zirkzee can fire his new team back towards the top end of the Premier League and into the Champions League, things might change.
The 23-year-old got off to the ideal start, scoring a late winner on his debut against Fulham. He has found things more difficult since, struggling to impact the game as a second-half substitute in a 2-1 defeat at Brighton, before an off day as United were beaten 3-0 by Liverpool.
Musiala, meanwhile, has made a typically fast start to the new season, scoring in Bayern’s 3-2 win at Wolfsburg on the opening day of the Bundesliga campaign.
He also found the net and registered three assists in Germany’s 5-0 Nations League demolition of Hungary last weekend.
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