Rasmus Højlund has revealed the key reason behind his resurgence at Napoli and it seems to be a dig at his parent club Manchester United.
Manchester United were keen for Rasmus Højlund to leave the club this summer following the arrival of Benjamin Šeško.
Højlund, who had joined United for a significant fee two years earlier, endured a dismal 2024/25 season that left him short on confidence by its conclusion.
Napoli stepped in to sign the Danish striker on an initial loan deal, which includes an obligation to buy should certain conditions be met next summer.
Since moving to Italy, Højlund has made an impressive start. He scored on his debut, hit a brace against Sporting in the Champions League last week, and added his fourth goal of the season in Napoli’s 2-1 victory over Genoa on Sunday.
Højlund reveals key reason behind Napoli resurgence
Højlund looked hopeless towards the end of his United career but he now is looking more like the player the Reds signed in 2023 under Antonio Conte.
While many believe that the main reason for his turnaround is returning to the Serie A, Højlund believes that there have not been many changes.
The one thing he noted when speaking to Danish outlet Tipsbladet this week is that he left United to ‘join a good football team’ and is reaping the benefits.
He said: “Not much has happened other than me getting into a good football team. I’ve played a lot and it’s been going really well. I’ve felt fit and sharp. I’ve made sure I was ready, and I did a lot of things off the pitch during my summer break to be ready for the upcoming season.
“I don’t know if there is a difference. In the subconscious, there may be. But I always try to tell myself that I am a good footballer who can always score goals, regardless of whether I haven’t scored in 20 games or I am in the group I am in now.”
United fans wouldn’t disagree with Højlund
Even though this seems to be a dig at United from the striker, it is a complaint that almost every fan has made in recent years too.
The striker position at Old Trafford has been difficult due to the fact that the team cannot really dominate games or create big chances regularly for their forwards.
Šeško has started well but also has experienced those difficulties early on in his United career and will likely continue to do so over the season.
While United fans will be hoping something clicks soon in attack, Højlund will likely enjoy building on his positive start to life in Italy.
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