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Everton are looking at a late loan move for the Manchester United forward in the closing stages of transfer deadline day.

Everton are edging towards a dramatic deadline-day loan deal for Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee after their planned move for Monaco forward Folarin Balogun appeared to fall through.

The Toffees had been close to completing a deal for Balogun to lead their attack, but talks reportedly stalled after the player underwent his medical.

Everton’s medical team are said to have flagged concerns during Balogun’s screening tests on deadline day.

As a direct result of those findings, the club’s hierarchy appear to have decided to abandon the transfer, unwilling to invest major financial resources in a deal carrying possible underlying risks.

With time running out and the club searching for an alternative source of goals, Everton have now turned to Manchester United’s out-of-favour Dutch forward Zirkzee.

According to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Everton have made contact with Manchester United directly in an attempt to negotiate a late loan deal after Balogun’s medical issue caused that move to collapse.

The 25-year-old striker has been pushed to the margins at Old Trafford for months and has not played a single minute in either of the club’s first two Premier League matches of the 2026/27 season.

Zirkzee’s position at Old Trafford has also declined sharply following last summer’s arrivals of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

His most recent goal in a competitive match for Manchester United came at the end of 2025 in a 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and since then he has struggled to establish any kind of regular role.

Having completely fallen out of favour under manager Michael Carrick, Zirkzee is evidently not part of the head coach’s long-term plans, making a deadline-day departure an ideal outcome for everyone involved.

For Everton, signing Zirkzee would represent damage limitation after the frustration of the Balogun deal collapsing.

Although the Dutchman would arrive as a back-up option rather than the club’s first-choice target, his addition would give the Toffees badly needed depth and competition in attack after Iliman Ndiaye’s departure to Manchester City.

The transfer deadline in England is 11pm.