Napoli are pushing to get a move done for Manchester United star as they seek a quick replacement for injured player
Following the signing of RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško for around £73.7 million, Rasmus Højlund’s future at Manchester United is uncertain.
Despite showing real intent to stay at the club and battle for his place, his inconsistency in front of goal has pushed Ruben Amorim to address the lack of goals, thus signing a new striker.
Signed for £72 million in 2023, the young Dane shone at times, especially in the Champions League, but his performances on the whole have failed to justify the investment put into the 22-year-old.
Højlund failed to establish himself as the stand-out starting striker at Old Trafford, scoring 26 goals across 95 appearances under Erik ten Hag, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Rúben Amorim.
Højlund deal expected to be done quick
After Romelu Lukaku sustained an injury that could see him miss the rest of 2025, Napoli are set to enter the market again to replace their striker.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Højlund is Napoli’s first choice to replace the injured Belgian, and discussions have been initiated with United, with hopes of reaching an agreement or turning point as early as Monday.
It is believed that negotiations between the clubs will take place over the coming days, as Højlund has given his approval to a move to Naples which is a significant first step for the reigning Italian champions.
The Naples side are still working on reaching an agreement about his salary, but they believe a middle ground can be found between the clubs.
While United want a permanent solution to be found for the striker, a loan with an obligation to buy could also be a viable option for the club, with a price yet to be agreed on.
How Højlund was always destined to fail
Before joining United, Højlund shone at Atalanta, becoming widely regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting attacking prospects, with his first season at United showing that he could go on to realise his potential at Old Trafford.
The forward made 43 appearances in his first season, scoring 16 and assisting two in what was a fantastic debut seasons considering he was only 20.
The second season is where it went down hill for the striker, scoring 10 goals across 52 appearances, and seemingly losing all confidence and struggling to even do just the basics at time.
The problem stems from the fact that Højlund was never meant to be United’s starting striker so soon, with many speculating that the Dane would develop alongside a more experienced forward.
Instead of that, the significant pressure to start as United’s striker fell on Højlund’s shoulders, something that never should have happened.
Despite coming into United having made almost 130 more appearances than Højlund, new signing Benjamin Šeško comes to the club for a similar fee and at a similar age to the Dane, and with there still being no experienced striker that the young forwards can develop alongside, it remains to be seen if the Slovenian forward can handle the pressure of leading the line.
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