SC Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic would be open to joining Manchester United if they firm up their interest in the coming windows.
According to a report by Pete O’Rourke on Football Insider, Arsenal and Chelsea are also interested in Igor Matanovic. Apart from the willingness to join Manchester United, the update suggests that he finds the potential opportunity to play in the Premier League as “hugely appealing”, though a move is not imminent.
Who is Igor Matanovic?
Igor Matanovic is the latest promising Croat to rise in prominence. Croatian football is at the onset of a transition, as Luka Modric is coming to the end of his career. The national team has needed a striker for several years, and Matanovic promises a bright future. Though he spent his formative years in Germany and represented the country in age-group football, he has picked Croatia as his national team.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old has been blossoming into a productive striker since joining SC Freiburg from Eintracht Frankfurt in July 2025. After a promising debut season with 15 goals and four assists in 50 outings, he has been hot off the blocks this term, scoring six goals and providing two assists in only seven appearances across all competitions thus far.
What next?
Arsenal’s interest in the Croatian international is understandable, as Viktor Gyokeres is struggling to make his mark. While the Swede resurrected his fortunes with a solid end to the 2025/26 season, he faces an uncertain future at the Emirates after a slow start to this campaign. So, Arsenal must pursue a productive striker who can be the alternative to Kai Havertz.
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s interest in Igor Matanovic is surprising. With Joao Pedro being one of the best strikers in the Premier League and Danny Welbeck being an able deputy, Xabi Alonso has enough resources to lead the line. However, the Blues never let go of a market opportunity, and Matanovic may be just that, like Emmanuel Emegha, who is the third-choice striker for Chelsea.
As for Manchester United, Joshua Zirkzee faces an uncertain future at Old Trafford after failing to win over Michael Carrick this year. With regular game time eluding the Dutchman, a departure is highly likely next year. Matanovic has thus emerged as a viable target, as his physical profile makes him more suitable for the Premier League than Zirkzee, and he can be the ideal alternative to Benjamin Sesko.
What next?
With the Croatian international eager to move to the Premier League and SC Freiburg’s resistance to mid-season sales, any deal is likely to materialise in the summer transfer window. Recent reports confirm SC Freiburg will not entertain bids in January.
