Manchester United Welcomes Danish Forward Rasmus Hojlund: A Comprehensive Overview

Rasmus Hojlund, the Danish footballer, has scored six times in his first six matches since joining Denmark’s national team the previous year.

The parallels between Erling Haaland and Rasmus Hojlund are hard to ignore.

Both players stand over 6ft tall and sport blonde hair. They are formidable in the final third of the field. With the commencement of the new Premier League season, both will represent Manchester-based teams.

Over the weekend, 20-year-old Hojlund completed a £72m transfer to United from Atalanta, an Italian football club.

What skills will he introduce to the Premier League and United’s offensive line, and does he have the potential to challenge Haaland?

Challenging Beginnings and Austria Breakthrough

Hojlund kicked off his senior career at Copenhagen after stints at Boldklubben af 1893 and Brondby during his youth, making his professional debut at the age of 17 in 2020.

Early struggles saw him flounder in the Danish Superliga. He departed in January 2022, after failing to score in his 19 league appearances, although he only started two games.

His move to the Austrian club, Sturm Graz, boosted his career significantly.

Hojlund managed to score in every second match in the latter half of the 2021-22 season, netting nine times in 17 starts.

Hojlund quickly gained attention with his potent left foot and smart gameplay. He perfected his runs and positioning to enable a wide range of scoring opportunities.

This performance led to his transfer to the Italian club Atalanta for a reported £15m, a tenfold increase on what Sturm Graz paid for him just months earlier.

In hindsight, this amount appears to be a steal.

Last season, he netted 20 goals in 47 matches for Atalanta and Denmark’s national team, making his debut for the latter in September of the previous year.

In March, he scored five goals over two European Championship qualifiers for Denmark, including a hat-trick against Finland.

Hojlund Vs Haaland: A Comparison
Though Hojlund’s goal record fell short of Haaland’s last season, both players are still in the early phases of their careers.

Hojlund still has a long way to go to match Haaland’s impressive numbers. The Norwegian scored 36 goals in 35 league appearances for Manchester City last season, averaging a goal every 77 minutes. Hojlund’s Serie A scoring rate was a goal every 204 minutes.

However, Hojlund has completed only two professional seasons. At the same stage, Haaland managed 12 goals in 25 appearances for Molde.

Although Hojlund is still developing, with the right refinement, he could be an excellent addition to United’s starting lineup.

His goal against Lazio last season gave a glimpse into the powerful striker Hojlund can become, reminiscent of Haaland’s style. He rushed from the halfway line during a counter-attack led by Ademola Lookman, bypassed two defenders, and made contact with a cross.

Assisted by quick wingers like Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and Jadon Sancho, United may have one of the fastest attacking trios in the Premier League.

Besides his speed, Hojlund also has a soft touch and is known to dribble more than Haaland, averaging around 10 more touches per game.

He possesses the attributes of a winger but the build of a centre-forward.

Atalanta’s manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, stated that Hojlund can run 100m in less than 11 seconds.

United is in search of a reliable centre-forward. Rashford has been their primary offensive force, especially with Anthony Martial injured for much of the previous season.

Last season, Rashford performed exceptionally well, scoring 30 goals in 56 games, an average of a goal every 143 minutes. His optimal position, however, is on the left wing.

United decided against a permanent deal for Burnley’s loan player Wout Weghorst at the start of this transfer window.

Potential bids for Paris St-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe and Tottenham’s Harry Kane, both of whom are world-class strikers, were ruled out internally.

With Hojlund, United gains a player with raw potential.

There are indicators of his quality and hints that he is on a trajectory towards becoming a top-tier footballer.

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More about Rasmus Hojlund Manchester United transfer

• Rasmus Hojlund’s profile
• Manchester United Official Announcement
• Comparative Analysis: Hojlund Vs Haaland
• Hojlund’s Career Statistics