Manchester United need a No 9: Rasmus Hojlund could be the perfect fit
“We will do everything in our power to get it done,” Erik ten Hag says.
“We need (it) as soon as possible. Ideally, he’d be here — we need to integrate — but you don’t always get ideal situations as a manager. We have to deal with that.”
Manchester United’s need for a striker couldn’t be more obvious.
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After a 2022-23 season in which Anthony Martial’s injuries and the makeshift Wout Weghorst ‘solution’ in January following Cristiano Ronaldo’s November exit left them handicapped in the centre-forward role, signing one was high on their priority list entering this summer’s transfer window.
United’s budgetary constraints mean they are not able to realistically pursue the highly coveted options of Harry Kane or Victor Osimhen — who both have a price tag close to £100million ($128.3m) — meaning their search has pivoted towards a more affordable option; one that might come with less financial risk.
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This week, The Athletic reported that United have made a verbal offer of €50million (£42.8m; $55m) plus €10million in add-ons to Italian club Atalanta for 20-year-old Rasmus Hojlund, with optimism that a deal will be struck soon after already agreeing preliminary personal terms with the Denmark international, although French champions Paris Saint-Germain have also made a bid for him.
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While Hojlund’s nine league goals last season in 32 appearances did not set Serie A alight in numbers terms, his raw attributes (he only left his teens in February) align closely with the profile of striker Ten Hag is looking for — that of a player who is willing to run in behind, link the
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