Who is Rasmus Hojlund? The next Haaland to spearhead Man Utd's attack

 

Manchester United are likely to add a new striker in the summer. Having made the decision to release Cristiano Ronaldo last year, United added Wout Weghorst to the ranks on loan until the end of the season. The Dutchman works hard off the ball, and this allows his attacking teammates to flourish, yet Erik ten Hag will be looking to bring in a goalscorer when the summer window opens. 

 

United have been linked with a host of big name strikers in their bid to build upon what has already been a successful debut campaign under Ten Hag. Harry Kane is the number one target according to reports, yet there are options beyond the shores of the Premier League. Victor Osimhen is tearing up Serie A, while Eintracht Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani has been superb in the Bundesliga this season. 

 

Yet it's another Serie A star who has supposedly cropped up on United's radar. United were one of a number of teams courting Erling Haaland before he left Borussia Dortmund for Manchester City, and given his goal record, City's capture of the Norwegian has a successful one. While he'll be out of United's reach now, Ten Hag's side could do a lot worse than sign a young striker dubbed 'The Next Erling Haaland'. 

 

Last summer, Atalanta won the race to secure Rasmus Hojlund's services from Austrian side Sturm Graz. Hojlund had only joined the Austrian outfit last January, yet did enough to convince potential suitors he was very much the real deal, with Atalanta striking early to sign the Danish striker before his reputation and value skyrocketed. 

 

Hojlund hasn't been a first team regular for Atalanta this season - 10 of his 24 appearances have come from the bench - but he has been making the most of his time on the pitch, directly contributing to a goal every 145.4 minutes of league action. However, it was actually a miss by Hojlund against Lazio that gave an accurate representation of his skillset as he charged through the Biancocelesti backline from halfway, and used his strength and speed to power through on goal, only to be denied by Ivan Provedel. 

 

The effort was reminiscent of a goal Haaland scored for Borussia Dortmund in 2020/21 against Wolfsburg, where he was played through from his own half, held off pressure from his marker and showed excellent composure to hit the back of the net. While Haaland is far and away the superior finisher, what Hojlund lacks by comparison in front of goal, he more than makes up for it when it comes to pressuring opponents. 

 

Despite a lack of consistent game time for Atalanta, Hojlund is winning possession in the attacking third every 93.5 minutes of game time in Italy's top tier this term, that ranking 15th of 206 players to have made at least 20 league appearances. This could be an additional reason behind United's rumoured interest in Hojlund. 

 

Yes, they need a goalscoring striker, but Ten Hag also likes his leading man to work hard off the ball, too, to disrupt defences and allow those in support - nominally Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Antony - to capitalise on the hard work of the frontman. It makes for a fluid frontline that maximises the goalscoring talents of those in support. Now if they could just add a striker who himself knows how to hit the back of the net, then United's attack should be a force to be reckoned with next season. 

 

 

The issue would now be whether United have what it takes to convince Atalanta to cash in on Hojlund. The Serie A outfit will be aware they can command a much higher fee further down the line, particularly after he bagged five times for Denmark during the March international break. With his reputation really starting to rise, Atalanta will make a hefty profit on Hojlund, but United will be wise to try at all costs to win the race for the Dane. 

 

At his age, Hojlund is far from the finished article and there are facets to his game that need developing, but that is to be expected for a player so young. That being said, he could have made the move from Austria to Italy and completely flopped, yet Atalanta have landed upon a gem of a young frontman that will only improve with the right coaching. 

 

United will be hoping that development comes at Old Trafford rather than elsewhere and while he may not be completely ready to succeed in England, Hojlund has the build and potential to shine in the Premier League, particularly in a high pressing Ten Hag side. If he is the only new striker United side this summer, then that may prove a concern in the short-term, particularly as this will ramp up the pressure on Hojlund to make an immediate impact in England. 

 

Yet if United can sign a more experienced head to bridge the gap between now and the time Hojlund is really ready to take the Premier League by storm, then they'd have a real star in the making at their disposal who has proven, with limited minutes, he is able to maximise his time on the pitch. Hojlund may not be the next Haaland, but he is a striker who, like the City hitman, has the attributes to establish himself as a global superstar in the Premier League.

Who is Rasmus Hojlund? The next Haaland to spearhead Man Utd's attack