Rasmus Hojlund has aimed a comically brutal dig at Manchester United when revealing the key to his resurgence following a summer move to Napoli.
Hojlund has joined the reigning Serie A champions on loan for the season, with an obligation to sign him permanently for £38m.
He scored a goal on debut and has now taken his tally to four goals in six appearances across all competitions, becoming the latest in a long list of players to thrive having immediately escaped Old Trafford.
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Now on international duty, ahead of Denmark’s World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Greece, Hojlund offered a damning 13-word explanation as to why he’s rediscovered his touch.
“Not much has happened other than me getting into a good football team,” he said. Ouch.
Hojlund elaborated: “I’ve played a lot and it’s been going really well. I’ve felt fit and sharp. I’ve made sure I was ready, and I did a lot of things off the pitch during my summer break to be ready for the upcoming season.
“I don’t know if there is a difference. In the subconscious, there may be. But I always try to tell myself that I am a good footballer who can always score goals, regardless of whether I haven’t scored in 20 games or I am in the group I am in now.”
Denmark boss Brian Reimer also aimed a sly dig at United in agreeing with the striker.
He said: “The fact that he is now on a well-functioning team and has players around him who take pride in doing good for others helps to make the outcome for a striker like Rasmus, who needs to be serviced. It is more important than which league you play in.”
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Former Premier League striker Djibril Cisse has told Poker Strategy that the uptick in the performances of Hojlund and Marcus Rashford after leaving United highlights a big issue at Old Trafford.
“There seems to be a trend with Manchester United that as soon as a striker leaves the club, they start scoring goals,” he said. “Rasmus Højlund had a tough time at United but now he has joined Napoli and scored twice in Serie A, including a winner against Genoa recently.
“The same can be said for Marcus Rashford – he joined Aston Villa on loan in January last season and got four goals and six assists in in 11 starts. Now he has joined Barcelona on loan and he’s flying. He already has three goals and five assists in his first 10 games and he scored an amazing goal in the Champions League against Newcastle.
“I’m not sure exactly what it is, but I’m sure there must be something wrong at Manchester United for all of these players perform so much better after leaving the club. It’s very strange.”