Joshua Zirkzee has been told why he should leave on loan just months after signing for Manchester United.

United agreed a deal worth £35.4million with Bologna to snap-up Zirkzee this summer transfer window, with the striker the first of five new additions to the first-team squad. Zirkzee opened his account with the winning goal in the opening-night victory over Fulham in the Premier League.

However, the striker is yet to add a second goal for United which has led to Zirkzee being given advice about his career. Paolo Di Canio, the former Premier League striker and manager, has explained why Zirkzee may be wise to return to Italy during the January transfer window – at least temporarily.

Zirkzee scored 12 goals in his final season at Bologna before moving to Old Trafford. Di Canio has explained why a return to Italy with Juventus could be on the cards for the striker, in the January transfer window, in the form of a loan deal – perhaps even with a view to permanently leaving.

“For the Premier League, he [Zirkzee] is a bit too slow, then maybe he will prove me wrong with goals and great performances, but there they attack you straightaway and [referees] whistle 30 per cent less for fouls [than Serie A],” Di Canio told Tuttosport.

“In Italy, we have seen what impact the player had in Bologna. In the end, in the confusion that there is at United, they could also give him on loan.

“They already have [Rasmus] Hojlund, then there is [Marcus] Rashford who is playing in that position. He would be the perfect profile, because that would allow [Juventus head coach, Thiago] Motta to have a striker with different characteristics to [Dusan] Vlahovic.

“But I would start the negotiations now. A loan with maybe the possibility of signing him [permanently].

“Zirkzee is not a devastating scorer. He’s not one to score 25 goals, but he makes others play.”