Man United formally announced that striker Rasmus Hojlund had completed a transfer to Napoli earlier in the week.
Hojlund scored his last United goal against Bournemouth.
Manchester United had just drawn 1-1 against 10-man Bournemouth, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring in the sixth minute of added time to rescue a point. Hojlund ended a six-match goal drought to score his fourth league goal of the season. “We wanted the win, but I needed that,” he posted on social media with an image of himself celebrating the goal.
United were 17th in the Premier League at the time. The post was met with backlash from United fans, who pointed out how much standards had fallen.
Hojlund endured a difficult season, and the pressure weighed him down. His relief at scoring against Bournemouth, a goal that secured a draw, was understandable, but his social media post was ill-advised.
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The Denmark international was not cut out for life at Old Trafford. Although he grew up supporting United, he did not ‘get’ the club as he should have. If he did, he wouldn’t have written that post.
Hojlund’s €44million (£38m) transfer to Napoli was confirmed earlier this week. Napoli paid a €6million (£5.2m) loan fee for Hojlund this season, and United have avoided a loss on the forward under the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) due to the fixed permanent fee.
“Everyone at the club would like to wish Rasmus all the very best for the future,” read United’s statement, which also referenced Hojlund coming on as a substitute against Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final.
The decision to bench Hojlund and play Bruno Fernandes as a false nine was pivotal in beating City at Wembley that afternoon, which set alarm bells ringing, as no top striker would be dropped for a game so important after being a regular starter in every game leading up to it.
Despite losing his place for the FA Cup final, Hojlund went into that summer knowing his first season was a success. 16 goals in all competitions was a healthy return, but he needed to build on that in his second year.
Hojlund scored four Premier League goals in 2024/25 and the focus on him grew more intense with each week he didn’t find the back of the net.
Hojlund’s stock slumped to a new low when Chido Obi replaced him against Fulham in the FA Cup in March 2025. Obi, an inexperienced youngster, looked more of a goal threat than Hojlund when he came on.
Obi also looked better than Hojlund during the post-season tour, contributing more with just three touches in United’s game against Hong Kong than Hojlund had in the 45 minutes of the first half.
Ruben Amorim’s system didn’t do Hojlund any favours. His approach meant chances were at a premium, but Hojlund didn’t cover himself in glory with his off-the-ball work. And when Hojlund was presented with an opportunity, he would snatch at it.
Amorim and Hojlund pictured at Old Trafford.
Obi started over Hojlund in last summer’s opening pre-season friendly against Leeds, but Hojlund started in the more meaningful USA friendlies against West Ham and Bournemouth.
Hojlund spoke about his future to reporters after the Bournemouth game and vowed to fight for his place at United. “The most important [thing] for me is to keep working hard and stay focused and then we’ll see what happens,” he said. “My plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot.”
Hojlund said that competition “sharpens” him, and he was ready for his third season, but he was benched for the final USA friendly, and Amorim left him out of the squad on the opening day of the campaign against Arsenal.
Amorim said that Hojlund had responded to not being selected for the Arsenal game “like a professional player”, adding about his future: “Let’s wait and see when the market closes and then everything will be clear.”
The final decision was to send Hojlund on loan to Napoli following Benjamin Sesko’s arrival from RB Leipzig.
Hojlund wanted to fight for his place.
The decision to axe Hojlund was slightly harsh. He wanted to stay and would have benefited from playing as the back-up striker this season, but Amorim had seen enough, and an obligation to buy was included in Napoli’s loan deal.
Speaking in March, Hojlund reflected on his departure from United, saying in an interview with TV2: “I got what I wanted with my transfer. I got a team that believes in me a lot. A club that believes in me a lot. A sporting director, a president and a coach who wants me.
“It felt like it was over for me at one point [at United]. Here at Napoli, I’ve rediscovered my love for football. People even back in Denmark were writing me off, but I never stopped believing.”
He continued: “I was put in a bit of a box at the end in Manchester. I knew there wouldn’t be much football for me if it continued like this. I was happy to play football in Manchester. I know that, especially in Denmark, a media image was formed that it was all just s*** and terrible, and that I played like a bag of nuts, but that’s not how I look at it.
“It’s hard not to be on your phone. And if you are on your phone, you’re bound to see what’s being written about you in some way. It can be all sorts of places these days, but often because you’re tagged on your Instagram or Facebook. So I would say it would be a lie for me to claim that you don’t get to read it.
“It’s clear that there is also a difference between Napoli and Manchester United, especially in Denmark. But I have to live with the headlines – they will always be there because someone wants to use me as an eye-catcher.”
Hojlund spoke honestly during that interview in his mother tongue. It was refreshing to hear him openly discuss the challenges he faced at United, which ultimately piled up when he wasn’t scoring.
He was a young striker who shouldered the burden of scoring United’s goals almost single-handedly, so it’s no wonder his confidence took a hit, and it’s no surprise that Hojlund has improved since signing for Napoli.
The pressure isn’t as intense at Napoli, and Serie A is not as competitive as the Premier League. Hojlund wasn’t cut out for life at United, but he’s rediscovered his mojo playing in Italy again.
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