Manchester United are set to receive a substantial amount of money for Rasmus Højlund as he closes in on a move to Napoli.
The transfer window is only open for a few more days, but United are looking to complete several more deals. While fans may see the arrival of new goalkeeper Senne Lammens, most of the business will be around outgoings.
Members of the “Bomb Squad” like Antony and Tyrell Malacia look likely to agree to moves away from the club, with Antony’s move looking permanent and Malacia’s looking like a loan.
One player whose exit has looked more and more likely as the window has progressed is Rasmus Hojlund. The Danish striker had a poor second season at the club, with his goal involvements decreasing from 18 in 43 appearances to 12 in 52 appearances.
With the arrival of Benjamin Sesko, the popularity of Joshua Zirkzee and the development of Chido Obi, there doesn’t seem to be a place for Hojlund in the squad next season. Thankfully for him, the Serie A champions
How much United will receive for Højlund
Napoli are said to have reached a verbal agreement with United for a deal that would see Højlund going out on loan, with the Italian side having an obligation to buy at the end of the season.
The report from Sports Witness has revealed that on the personal side of things, there’s a complete agreement between the striker’s party and Napoli.
This deal is set to see United receive £48.2 million and see Højlund become one of the club’s five most expensive departures. This £48.2 million figure is split into three sections: loan fee, wage coverage and transfer fee.
For the next 12 months, Napoli will cover Højlund’s wages, which amount to £3.9 million per year. They will also pay the club a loan fee of £4.3 million. This means that this season, United will gain £8.2 million from the deal.
The remaining £40 million is the transfer fee that Napoli are obligated to pay United to receive Højlund permanently next summer should the club qualify for the Champions League.
The best deal possible for United
Some United fans may be wary of an obligation to buy following the Jadon Sancho to Chelsea situation.
Chelsea had agreed an obligation to buy Sancho for £25 million, but due to a clause in the contract, they were able to avoid signing him for a £5 million penalty fee, leaving United stuck with Sancho. However, at this stage, no such clause has been reported in the deal.
The other concern may be that United won’t receive most of this money until a later date. The reality is that with modern transfers, even if United had sold Højlund this summer, they wouldn’t receive most of the money this season, as transfers are often broken up into instalments.
Overall, the deal seems the best the club could accomplish with the limited time left in the window, and given Højlund’s poor 24/25 season, it is impressive they will be receiving nearly £50 million for him.
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