Unfortunately, things did not work out for Rasmus Hojlund at Manchester United.
Some argue that things could have been different had the Dane been handed the right conditions to flourish.
United failed Hojlund
Joining as one of Europe’s hottest prospects, it was obvious that Hojlund was still a rough diamond that needed polishing.
Yet as inexperienced as he was, United wanted him to hit the ground running instantly; they were convinced he was their “own Erling Haaland.”
He tried to rise to the occasion in his maiden United season, racking up 16 goals in 43 games. Unfortunately, he did not build on that in 2024-25.
Unconvincing performances last season, which saw him score only 10 goals in 52 appearances, raised questions about his status as United’s lead striker.
Under pressure to revive United’s misfiring attack, Ruben Amorim pushed for a striker signing alongside two tried and tested 10s.
With Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko all of a sudden, United had a brand new attack.
Hojlund looked hungry to impress in preseason and must have been relishing battling the trio for a starting spot.
However, he was told that if he wanted to play, he would have to move elsewhere; with no European football, there would be few games to play.
Return to the Serie A
The 22-year-old opted to return to Serie A, where his brilliance at Atalanta had earned him that headline £72 million United switch back in 2023.
AC Milan made a strong effort to sign him, but Hojlund ultimately joined Napoli on a season-long loan.
United and the Italian champions agreed to a loan deal with a £38 million option to buy, contingent upon certain conditions being met, such as Gli Azurri qualifying for the Champions League.
Yet to feature for the Antonio Conte-led side as his deal was finalised on deadline day just as the international break kicked in, the expectation is Hojlund will be making his debut this weekend as Napoli play Fiorentina.
Keen to impress
Hungry to get back to his best and prove doubters wrong, an interesting report from Italy has dropped.
Tuttomercatoweb are claiming:
“In less than 24 hours, Rasmus Hojlund travelled over 800 kilometres: on Monday evening, he was on the pitch in Athens playing for Denmark against Greece, and on Tuesday afternoon, he was already at the Castel Volturno training centre for his first training session with Napoli.
“No breaks, no requests for rest, just the desire to dive straight into his new adventure with the Azzurri.”
Such a determination is what Napoli and even INEOS would love for the young striker keen to prove a point.
While he did not hit top form at the Theatre of Dreams, the hope is that he can rediscover his form at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
With intentions clear, he is hungry to rediscover his mojo; hopefully, he does.
If he does, Napoli should graciously sanction his permanent transfer, help him tap into his potential, and prevent football from being robbed of one of its greatest modern-day strikers.
That said, as Hojlund looks to embark on a resurgence, United fans will be hoping that Sesko under Amorim can live up to being his ultimate upgrade at Old Trafford.
Featured image Patrick McDermott via Getty Images
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Daniel Onguko
Since Dan was introduced to Manchester United in 2008, he has lived and breathed the club. What started as being a fan evolved into writing about United, allowing him to feel part of their journey. Hopefully, his work might even help rekindle your love for the kings of Manchester.
