Rasmus Hojlund is preparing for a third season at Manchester United with the Dane yet to take the forward strides he and the club hoped for – leading to questions over whether they move him on
When Rasmus Hojlund scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester United in December 2023 it bought to an end a wait that had spanned more than 1000 minutes. The relief around Old Trafford was evident.
However no striker signed for more than £70million should have their first strike met with a feeling of relief. Instead there should be a sense of inevitability about them finding back of the net. A feeling of that being a sign of things to come.
Think back to Erling Haaland’s brace on his debut for Manchester City at West Ham, for example.
In Hojlund’s first season his goals constantly seemed like it was him justifying his price tag and Erik ten Hag’s continued show of faith in him. But after scoring in England’s top flight it looked as if the Dane was finally up and running.
His strike against Aston Villa began a run of games that saw Hojlund score seven times in six outings. United’s investment in the young frontman was done with an acceptance he would grow and develop, he wasn’t the finished article. Nearly two years on though and the development simply hasn’t been what was anticipated, needed or wanted.
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Hojlund, following his purple patch in early 2024, has never again scored in successive games. With each passing game he’s looked like a player operating with less and less confidence every time he takes to the pitch. The aura that exists around prime Premier League marksman like Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak simply isn’t present in the United No 9.
Ten Hag once said about the 22-year-old: “He has the resilience and the calmness, and to perform under that stress. He doesn’t have any moment that he wants to give up. No, he keeps going every time.”
That resilience is seriously being tested now. 12 months ago United added Joshua Zirkzee, which was not a glowing endorsement of the club’s belief that Hojlund could provide the goals they needed. Again they’re in the market for more firepower.
On the face of it, its hard to blame Ruben Amorim, who saw his side scored just 44 times in the league last season. He acknowledged that Hojlund was struggling in the final third, but attributed that to being a team problem, not an individual one.
That said, for all Amorim’s defence of his player, the Dane’s haul of four league goals was bettered by full-backs like Marc Cucurella and Josko Gvardiol. The question United have to answer is just how long can they wait for Hojlund to ignite, if he is going to at all.
The history of football is littered with players who needed a bit of patience before they became the players they had threatened to be. United’s ambitions dictate that they need players, especially those in key positions, to be producing now and Amorim’s own grace period is running out.
In recent weeks Ollie Watkins has been cited as a target, now Benjamin Sesko is the man they want with initial talks held. A price tag has been quoted and Amorim has not given any guarantee that Hojlund will be a United player beyond the summer, stating “I don’t know what is going to happen.”
The Dane himself though is determined to fight for his place and prove his worth, welcoming the addition of a new striker to compete with even if that is likely to see him fall down the pecking order.
He said: “I think my plan is very clear and that’s for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens. Competition is fine with me, it sharpens me. I’m more than ready. I’m feeling sharp, so I’m welcoming everything that comes. I think it’s good with competition and it only sharpens the team.
“I’m still very young. I think people forget that sometimes. I’m only 22. Obviously, not every striker is scoring 100 goals at the age of 22. But I’ve learned a lot, I think you can see in my game.”
If a week is a long time in football then 18 months is a few lifetimes. In February 2024 United saw off West Ham 3-0 at Old Trafford, a game in which Hojlund was on target. But it was the celebration that followed Alejandro Garnacho’s goal that had those in Manchester purring.
The Argentine reeled away and sat himself on the advertising board. Hojlund and Kobbie Mainoo wandered over and followed suit with the image of the trio – all young, thriving and seemingly with their best days ahead of them – appearing to give a snapshot into the future of the club.
Today, Garnacho is up for sale having angered numerous senior figures in Manchester. Mainoo has been linked with a lucrative move away as Amorim said he is “so good sometimes but he can be better.” And Hojlund is now seemingly fighting for his future.
The message may well be, seize your moment, or watch it pass you by.
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