Since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, and arguably before that too, Manchester United have been crying out for a striker. With the loan of Wout Weghorst not going to plan and the inconsistencies of Anthony Martial, Erik ten Hag had initially turned his attention to Harry Kane. However, Tottenham’s reluctance to sell has left the United looking elsewhere, and are currently on the hunt for a younger number nine. Enter Rasmus Hojlund.
Born in 2003, Rasmus Hojlund has been one of Atalanta’s youngest starters since his move to the club from Austrian side Sturm Graz, having previously played in his home nation of Denmark for F.C. Copenhagen. Despite being 6ft 2in tall, the Dane is deceptively quick and uses his speed to great effect whilst also being strong enough to hold off opposition defenders whilst sprinting through on goal.
At Atalanta, Hojlund scored nine goals, tallying up to 0.44 per 90 minutes. Eight of these nine goals were scored from inside the box, showcasing his instincts as a poacher inside the penalty area. More specifically, Hojlund has a great talent for scoring tap-ins. Though this may sound like an easy task, United have struggled in the past with finishing chances flashed across goal, with previous striker Wout Weghorst scoring zero Premier League goals in 17 appearances despite an abundance of creative players in the United side.
Adding to his box presence, Hojlund ranks in the top 7% of strikers in Europe for touches in the opposition penalty area, whilst ranking in the top 1% for progressive passes received with 10.99 a game. This can hugely complement the Manchester United midfield, with players like Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes both ranking in the top 7% for progressive passes made. Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez also excel at playing these vertical passes to feet, meaning Hojlund will have plenty of service with his back to goal.
An area of improvement is his aerial ability, with none of his Serie A goals coming from headers. Another weakness is simply his experience, and whilst this isn’t a statistic per se, is a vital attribute for a striker. This is why Ten Hag had originally planned to sign a more experienced striker alongside him, which would be the ideal scenario. However, uncertainty over the club’s takeover has reduced the chance of this happening, meaning Hojlund will likely be thrown into the deep end if he is to secure his dream move to Old Trafford.
Despite good underlying numbers, Atalanta’s price of around £60 million is seen as too high by Manchester United, however progress in negotiations is expected to be made after the deal for Andre Onana is wrapped up by the end of the week. It is also worth noting Hojlund has been a United supporter since he was a child, with personal terms being agreed upon in May. He also shares an agency company with United boss, Ten Hag, who is looking to get a deal across the line so that Hojlund can join the squad’s pre-season training.
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