Under-threat Utd star who hierarchy criticised left his team-mates 'unconvinced'

Manchester United have had many incomings who have struggled at Old Trafford in recent years, but there is one player who has seemingly left plenty to be desired by his team-mates

Manchester United forward Rasmus Hojlund has left team-mates unconvinced by his qualities on the pitch. Hojlund, 22, has struggled for consistency at Old Trafford ever since his £72million move from Atalanta in the summer of 2023.

Goals have been too few and far between for the striker in a red shirt. United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe even once used him as an example of a "not good enough" and "overpaid" player his regime had "inherited".

Despite that criticism from the United hierarchy, this summer, Hojlund has insisted he was going to fight for his place. That was despite the arrivals of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and, most significantly, new centre-forward Benjamin Sesko.

However, the Dane could soon reluctantly leave the club after falling down the pecking order, and it appears it might be time he moves on given the views of some in the United camp.

The Manchester Evening News has also claimed his team-mates have previously been so unconvinced by his displays, they have been reluctant to pass to him.

Reports from talkSPORT have also stated AC Milan have come to the table as a potential suitor for the young striker.

While Hojlund is not looked at in the same way as the so-called 'bomb squad' players Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho – who are all training separately from the rest of the squad – United head coach Ruben Amorim appears willing to allow him to leave.

The Portuguese boss refused to give any assurances about Hojlund's future while they were on their pre-season tour of Chicago. When asked about Hojlund, Amorim said: "The important thing is that people focus on the goals and we suffer a lot because of the lack of goals.

"But I think not just the goals, but the way he (Hojlund) connects the play. Every time we have to kick the ball, we are kicking the ball when we are more pressed.

"The ability for him to hold the defender and to connect in the support is helping us a lot to play better. And we are playing better because he is playing better.

"I am really happy with Rasmus. I don't know what is going to happen until the end of the market. The important thing is that the strikers that are here are working really well, are improving, are helping the team and that is the most important thing.

"The important thing is that Rasmus is scoring goals. He's connecting really well with the team. He's improving. Again, I don't know what is going to happen until the market is closed."

Hojlund was not included in United's most recent friendly against Fiorentina. On the day Sesko was paraded around Old Trafford, Amorim left the Dane out of his starting line-up and did not introduce him from the bench.

Instead, Mason Mount was deployed as a false nine, while Cunha and Mbeumo were also both trialled in the position throughout the contest. Neither of the trio found the net and United's only goal of the game was an own goal from Fiorentina defender Robin Gosens.

United would go on to win the game via a penalty shootout, in which Bruno Fernandes, Cunha, Diogo Dalot, Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo scored for them.