Manchester United are asking too much of new boy Rasmus Hojlund and do not have a credible alternative.
After a long wait, Manchester United finally signed a striker this summer, spending an initial £64 million on Rasmus Hojlund.
While this was a substantial spend, Hojlund is a developmental prospect who had just one year’s experience in a top European league, and he is being thrust into a big role before he is truly ready.
While he has an impressive three goals in three Champions League games, Hojlund has no goals in his opening seven Premier League matches.
Rasmus Hojlund is in the wrong role
Manchester United are utilising Rasmus Hojlund as an every week starter. And he is just not ready for this role yet.
Hojlund, only 20, should have been signed as the alternative option to a more experienced centre-forward.
The Times even reported this was United’s original intention, to sign Harry Kane with Rasmus Hojlund as his back-up.
This wasn’t possible because of the finances involved, but just because Kane wasn’t available, shouldn’t have meant United just settled for Hojlund and abandoned signing a second striker.
Porto’s Mehdi Taremi’s name was floated about as an option, The Mirror reported, but this came to nothing. It didn’t seem like United were serious about adding another striker – not after blowing £55 million on Mason Mount, who can’t get a start right now.
Contrastingly, United are depending on Hojlund to start every single game – because the one other striker who is here is Anthony Martial, who is neither reliable enough or good enough to start on a regular basis.
Hojlund paying for recruitment errors
Striker has been an issue for Manchester United ever since Romelu Lukaku was sold in 2019 and was not replaced.
United have turned to stop gaps, varying widely in quality, including Odion Ighalo, Edinson Cavani, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wout Weghorst.
Rasmus Hojlund is the club’s first proper attempt to solve the striker issue long-term, and should be commended, but he is also paying for the club’s previous recruitment errors.
It means that now Hojlund is here, his development risks being hurt because there is no viable option to rotate him with. It’s crazy.
He should be sharing minutes with a Premier League proven forward, able to spread the minutes, and influence games as a super-sub.
Instead he is being thrown in at the deep end and told to swim, at risk of his confidence being dented and his fitness being flogged.
A striker needs to be a priority in the January transfer window to help Hojlund out. And preferably not another desperate loan deal.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
