Rasmus Hojlund’s hot start at Napoli recently gave way to a cold streak, and his latest game has left his recent remarks ageing extremely poorly.
Napoli fans were convinced they had secured one of the bargains of the transfer window when Rasmus Hojlund was signed on an initial loan deal.
Hojlund started on fire in Naples, and Man Utd fans looked on with misty eyes as he was walking the trail blazed by Scott McTominay.
Did Manchester United make a mistake sending Rasmus Hojlund on loan?
However, reality struck him recently as he struggled immensely soon after making a bold “I’m a different player now” claim.
Rasmus Hojlund struggles as Napoli nightmare inches closer
Even at Old Trafford, Hojlund had been a player who was extremely prone to hot-and-cold spells of goalscoring.
Combine that with his all-around game, leaving a lot to be desired when he wasn’t scoring, and his performances often fluctuated between extreme highs and extreme lows.
Napoli are feeling the latter part of that experience, as they plunged to another defeat, this time away at Atalanta, to leave their Champions League qualification hopes in peril.
Hojlund played the full 90 minutes, putting in an anonymous performance which saw him finish the game with just one shot, one chance created, 35 touches, and 16 passes completed. (Stats courtesy FotMob)
This anonymous performance comes just days after Hojlund’s bold claim that he’s a different player now, as per Il Mattino.
He said: “It’s true that I’m a different player than I was in August. I’m still improving, and even though I’m not the youngest, I’m sure I still have a lot of room for improvement. I listen to Conte, and I work hard with him in training.”
Man Utd won’t be celebrating Hojlund’s struggles
Hojlund’s bold claims before performing poorly won’t surprise United fans, as it was this exact quality that caused his struggles at United.
He became too hyped when he was playing well, and felt too low when he wasn’t, leading to a whiplash of emotions from one extreme to another.
At a club like Man Utd, where the pressure and scrutiny are already so intense, having that whiplash is a recipe for disaster.
However, the club won’t be celebrating these struggles as any sort of vindication.
The 2-1 loss leaves Napoli just four points ahead of Juventus in fifth and outside of Champions League spots, which will remove the obligation to buy and turn it into an option.
The £38m fee for him is something United have been banking on receiving for a while now, and could well be the difference between a “great” summer and a “transformational” one.
Hojlund’s own form, coupled with Napoli slowly slipping out of UCL spots, is a recipe for disaster for United’s transfer window plans.
They’ll hope both Hojlund and Napoli find their spark again, at least until they get that £38m windfall.
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