Gary Neville has admitted to fearing the impact leading the line for Manchester United will have on the club's new £72million signing Rasmus Hojlund.
The 20-year-old put pen to paper on a five-year contract at Old Trafford, becoming Erik ten Hag's third major signing of the summer and United's fifth most expensive arrival in their history.
The centre forward joined from Serie A side Atalanta after only one season in the first team, where he found the net just nine times in 32 league outings.
As a result, Neville, who made over 600 appearances for the Red Devils in his trophy-laden career, reckons the Danish international could find the transition difficult.
And hopes the club hierarchy are keeping a close eye on developments with Harry Kane, who he believes Hojlund could be the perfect understudy for.
'I hope they're [Manchester United] being clever, and [Harry] Kane's being clever', Neville said on The Overlap Fan Debate. 'And they’re waiting to get a deal whereby they agree a deal with [Bayern] Munich, he says "no I’m not going, and I want to go to United".
'United need Kane, they still need the young lad as well [Rasmus Hojlund] to back him up and bed in and play his 25/30 games because he didn’t play every game for Atalanta last season.
'I’m worried that we’ve got this kid up front that to be fair, has massive pressure on his shoulders.
'Everyone’s going to be watching him, he needs that pressure taken off him a bit. Kane puts United into that sort of realm of catching Arsenal and [Manchester] City.'
The England skipper has been at the centre of the summer's most fraught transfer saga. The latest development being Tottenham's rejection of a third bid from German champions Bayern Munich totaling £86m.
Mail Sport revealed last month that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy valued Kane at £120m - despite the fact he had less than a year on his contract.
There has been a feeling, however, that Levy would accept a fee close to £100m given the prospect of losing Kane for nothing next summer.
The 30-year-old had been a target for Ten Hag's side earlier in the window before his price tag motivated the pursuit of alternatives.
Alopenu
2
Gary Neville and co are the ones who will be putting more pressure on the lad when it's time. They always criticized players. They won't allow Ramus to concentrate and play his normal football.
Kesadlor
2
just sign Kane for 209M, it's cheaper
22ace
0
It’s the fact, we need Kane and vice versa.
Niweklos
3
Gary, you 100% correct.you just spoke my mind
Cjaysports
0
Hatching plan for Harry kane?. What is this man smoking?
Hibacdeoy
1
Gary is a joke!
Herflynamponsah
0
4 days more to start of epl now watching tele will be interesting again
Dobdoprz
1
Why old man to united?
Kaybaba1
0
talkative you can’t even win a match in Spain
y not 4get abt d messanger and concentrate on d msg??
vobabouy
0
Well that's the truth. We need Kane at the moment
Joccdnry
0
talkative you can’t even win a match in Spain
tocciknrt
1
Garry una don start with your nonsense talk
Ditcdkmns
1
By saying this you already giving him pressure.
Betapidkin
3
Literally we don’t need Harry Kane here, We have Marcus well fitted and He can help us at the front Incase Rasmus is not fit enough to start against wolves.
Rakklnoptu
2
now you worried because it is not from England. why can't you speak to Harry Maguire or worried about H Maguire? sometimes we wanter about you with talking much 🤫🤫🤫
Vezonic22
2
Parrots ready again to talk down on the team and players
wekbcknos
1
why don't salford buy kane instead? guaranteed promotion to epl
mrhenphilas
3
100 mil for play of 30yrs with less than a year contract? that's madness!
Kiwdeikuz
0
Yes we Kane,if they can pay that money on kid ,who won’t match pressure and deliver consistently,whoever he was injured also look at the mess,I want Harry Kane,no one knows what the future brings
Neomyug
2
I think Gary some times drinks his son's urine that's y he dreams of Kabe
yaoikprs
0
Hhmm they have started their season before the teams allow him to do his best ... pls
yehbimory
1
[maskonly because Kane is from England and you don't him want to go elsewhere except remain in England.if it was another prayer from a different country where you don't come from,you wouldn't have said that.a similar criticism was raised against lisandro Martinez.