Rasmus Hojlund has enjoyed a successful loan spell with Italian giants Napoli and it appears that a permanent move away from Old Trafford is already all but sealed
Rasmus Hojlund’s permanent move away from Manchester United is a ‘formality’, according to a Napoli chief. The Danish striker joined the Italian giants on a season-long loan deal in the summer and has quickly caught the eye.
The Serie A giants have an option to buy for €50m (£43.6m) come the end of that agreement, albeit that will become an obligation should Napoli qualify for the Champions League at the end of the season. All the signs however point to Hojlund making a permanent move regardless. Napoli director Giovanni Manna has confirmed that both parties consider a switch a done deal already.
“We did everything we could to sign him. There were more storied clubs interested, but his will was crucial, and we are proud of it,” Manna told Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport.
“We had no doubts. Rasmus is decisive in terms of numbers, but also in how he understands the coach’s input. This makes a difference.
“There’s an option to buy and an obligation to buy if we qualify for the Champions League. The player considers himself a Napoli player, and the same goes for us. This is extremely important.”
Asked if a permanent move was already a formality, Manna replied: “As of today, I think so.” Manna’s comments come amid claims in Italy that Napoli are already drawing up the terms of Hojlund’s contract as a permanent player.
It has been suggested that the forward will have a €85m (£74.2m) release clause written into his deal in Naples - that clause becoming active in the summer of 2027. Hojlund, 22, has scored seven goals in 19 outings for the club this season.
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“Hojlund is a player who is very young, he’s still only 22 years old, and can improve a great deal,” Napoli boss Antonio Conte said recently about Hojlund’s form.
“Since he first joined us, he has already progressed to become a dominant player in that role, because he’s starting to understand the right positions to take, how to defend the ball, when to come towards it or back off."
The Italian added: “He is really well connected with the team. In my style of football, the strikers have a very important and special role in the overall approach, and he has huge margin for further improvement.”
Hojlund joined Man United from Atalanta in 2023 and he scored 16 goals across his debut season and followed that up with a further ten in his second season - albeit just four of those strikes came in the Premier League.