Rasmus Højlund has been blasted by Serie A pundits not too long after his loan move from Manchester United to the reigning champions, Napoli.
Napoli signed Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund on a season-long loan in September of this year, with the obligation that if Napoli are to qualify for the Champions League that they will buy the 22-year-old for around £39 million.
With former United player and Napoli’s first-choice striker Romelu Lukaku out due to an injury obtained in pre-season, Højlund has had to fill the 32-year-old’s boots for the time being.
With Napoli facing a 2-0 defeat to Bologna on Sunday, people have taken to criticising the United loanee’s performance during the match.
Now, with their third loss in a row, people are eagerly awaiting the return of Lukaku arguing Højlund is not performing to the correct standard.
“Hojlund’s… play isn’t good enough”
With Napoli winning the Serie A last season, the team entered this season with high hopes to win once again; however, they are currently fourth in the table, having suffered three consecutive losses that have pushed them further from the top spot. The loss against Bologna only further rubbed salt in the wound.
Much of the backlash from this game was then attributed to Højlund; the CBS panel, in particular, was critical of the Dutch international’s performance.
CBS pundit Matteo Bonetti expressed his opinion that “Højlund’s first touch and link-up play isn’t good enough.” He then expressed his desire for ex-United star Lukaku to return from injury soon and take the young player’s spot in the starting lineup.
Højlund’s poor link-up play arguably cost Napoli the entire game, with the strikers’ poor link-up play meaning that the team lost possession in dangerous areas, making it hard for the other players to build attacks through their striker, a vital attribute for a striker to possess when playing for a top club in their respective league.
Alongside this, his weak first touch also worsens Napoli’s chances of scoring, with his control of the ball in high-pressure situations seemingly inconsistent; his first touch has a significant impact on both his timing and positioning for attacks.
Where does this leave Hojlund?
With Højlund struggling up front for Napoli, questions are beginning to arise about where this leaves the United loanee.
Although Napoli are currently in the correct position for a Champions League qualification, if they are to continue with their losing streak, this can quickly change and therefore mean that the club will not be obliged to sign him in the summer, and a potential return to Old Trafford could be in the cards for the striker.
This would cause issues for the player, as Højlund would likely leave United due to a lack of game time. The move to Napoli would offer regular minutes and exposure to other European competitions, which Utd would be unable to provide if he were to return.
The likelihood of Højlund starting over the likes of Benjamin Sesko would be slim to none, with the Serie A notably less physical and fast-paced in comparison to the Premier League proposing the idea that hojlund needs to make fast and substantial changes to his gameplay to one ensure his place in Napoli’s starting XI but to maintain their Champions League spot and finally cement his place at the Italian club.
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