REVEALED: Rasmus Hojlund is nursing a back injury that will limit his playing time at the start of the season for Man United - with club set to carefully manage striker to avoid longer lay-off

Manchester United's new £72million signing Rasmus Hojlund is nursing a back injury which is likely to limit his playing time at the start of the season.

Mail Sport has learned that an MRI scan conducted as part of the Danish striker's medical last week revealed a stress response hotspot in his back, which can be the start of stress fractures in young players.

Hojlund was introduced to United fans before kick-off at Old Trafford ahead of a pre-season friendly against Lens last Saturday, although it could be a while before they see him in action.

The 20-year-old has already been ruled out of featuring for Erik Ten Hag's side in their opening two games of the season against Wolves and Tottenham, with some sources at United indicating that the issue is more serious than the club disclosed after completing his transfer from Atalanta last week.

United's official message was that it would take several weeks for Hojland to reach match fitness due to a small issue sustained in pre-season training at Atalanta, but did not go into any detail about the nature of the injury.

Mail Sport has learned however that the back problem was picked up during his medical which led to Hojland being sent for an MRI, although clubs seeking second opinions is not unusual in a transfer of that magnitude.

Marcus Rashford missed several months of the Covid-interrupted 2019-20 season after sustaining a double stress fracture in his back, but Hojlund's has not reached that stage with the club confident he can be nursed back to full fitness.

United are adamant that following intensive investigations during Hojlund's medical there is no fundamental issue with his back and that all he requires is a period of rest.

United's initial response to last week's MRI has been to give Hojlund more time to improve his fitness and to reassure the player that he is a long-term signing and will not be rushed into the team.

Medical sources outside the club however have told Mail Sport that such injuries require careful management and have suggested it is unlikely that Hojland will be able to play two matches-a-week for some time for fear of developing into a stress fracture, which would lead to a lengthy lay-off.

Stress response hotspots are often suffered by athletes who have had a high workload at a young age, which is the case the Hojlund.

After coming through the Academy at FC Copenhagen he made his first-team debut at 17 before being sold to Austrian club Sturm Graz in January 2022 and then on to Atalanta the following August for £15m.

United paid almost five times that amount just 12 months later amidst competition from Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Inter Milan, opting to go ahead with the signing despite identifying the back problem during his medical.

Ten Hag is hoping to build a new-look attack around Hojlund's goal-scoring talent with United giving him a five-year contract, which includes the option to extend by a further 12 months.

United declined to comment.