CEO insists he was ‘happy’ to sell £64m star to Manchester United

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Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi insists he is ‘happy’ with the sale of Rasmus Hojlund despite the striker’s impressive start to life at Premier League giants Manchester United.

Even in the goal disallowed for offside during Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with Galatasaray, Manchester United’s £64 million summer signing showcased the sort of composure and ruthlessness Erik ten Hag has been looking for.

Rasmus Hojlund scored two on the night. Only the linesman’s flag denied him a third.

And United legend Paul Scholes had a point when he suggested that there were shades of Ruud van Nistelrooy about the blonde bomber, Hojlund a blur of enthusiasm and dead-eyed effervescence.

The Dane’s former employers could have done with his nose for goal during the weekend’s stalemate with Juventus but Percassi, speaking to DAZN, insists that the decision to let Hojlund secure his dream move to Old Trafford was still the right one.

Rasmus Hojlund impressing at Manchester United

“We are certainly happy with the work done with Hojlund,” the CEO insists. “Atalanta satisfied the boy when faced with a great opportunity.”

Percassi points out that the £64 million brought in from Hojlund’s sale – Atalanta making a £47 million profit on a player who only arrived 12 months earlier – allowed La Dea to retain the services of star midfielder Teun Koopmeiners for at least another season.

“This summer, we kept faith with the president’s words. Namely, that (Koopmeiners) would not be sold because we wanted to build the team around him,” Percassi adds.

“He embodies the Atalanta spirit. He has excellent skills, and we hope he continues to show them.”

Three Champions League goals already

If Koopmeiners ‘embodies the Atalanta spirit’, then the hope is that Hojlund can become the posterboy of the Ten Hag era at Manchester United. After just two matchdays, Hojlund is the Champions League’s top scorer with three goals to his name, even as United await their first point of the group-stage.