Manchester United and Napoli are “close to agreeing a deal” for striker Rasmus Hojlund, as per Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.
Hojlund is set to move on an initial loan, with Napoli obliged to buy if they secure Champions League football. The total deal is worth around £40 million, which will include a fee for the loan.
The 22-year-old is said to be “ready to fly” once personal terms are finalised, with his agent already holding talks in Naples.
United head coach Ruben Amorim deemed the Denmark international surplus to requirements after the signing of Benjamin Sesko earlier this month.
With Joshua Zirkzee and Chido Obi already in the squad, United had to let go of Hojlund to trim their wage bill.
Hojlund moved to Old Trafford from Atalanta in a deal worth £72m in 2023 and has scored 26 times in 95 appearances.
His arrival sparked wild comparisons to Manchester City star Erling Haaland, but those expectations proved too heavy a burden to carry.
It would be fair to say that the young Dane failed to meet expectations, and his exit was always on the cards after scoring only four Premier League goals last campaign.
Not only was his prolonged goal drought worrisome, but his inability to affect the game forced United to pull the plug.
Hojlund looked overmatched by the physical demands of the Premier League, often bullied off the ball by defenders.
He completed just nine dribbles and won a mere 29.5% of his duels, underlining his lack of impact in tight contests.
The Red Devils will hope that Hojlund could rediscover his form at Napoli, forcing them to sign him permanently.
Should the Red Devils bank close to £40m, it would rank as the fourth-biggest sale in the club’s history, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku and Angel di Maria.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Fotmob.com
