Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel has now made his feelings clear on Rasmus Hojlund’s playing spell at Old Trafford after the Napoli star’s success in Italy.
Manchester United included an obligation for Napoli to buy Rasmus Hojlund at the end of his 2025-26 loan spell for a £38m transfer fee if certain conditions were met.
One of the key conditions was Napoli’s return to the Champions League for the 2026-27 campaign, with Antonio Conte’s men now within touching distance of it.
Napoli are second in the Serie A table with only three league matches remaining and the Naples-based side are 12 points behind newly crowned champions Inter Milan.
Did Manchester United make a mistake sending Rasmus Hojlund on loan?
Peter Schmeichel thinks that Napoli striker Rasmus Hojlund could have succeeded at Man Utd
Rasmus Hojlund has impressed in his debut season with Napoli and the on-loan Manchester United striker has netted 14 times in 41 matches for the Italian club.
The 23-year-old Danish forward left Old Trafford on deadline day last September after falling down the pecking order under former Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim.
Hojlund, who also has six assists at Napoli this season, struggled to find consistent form in the final third at Man Utd after his move to Serie A side Atalanta in 2023.
Peter Schmeichel has admitted that he thought the Denmark international could have been “absolutely fantastic” at United if he had more time at the club.
“I think the deal is if Napoli qualify for the Champions League, then they are obliged to sign Rasmus Hojlund permanently,” he said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.
“So that’s a bit of a shame because I like Hojlund by the way and think he could have been absolutely fantastic.”
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Peter Schmeichel feels that Rasmus Hojlund wouldn’t return to Man Utd if he had the chance
Napoli will ensure their place in the Champions League for next season if they beat Bologna next Monday and if fifth-place Roma fail to defeat Parma on Sunday.
United legend Schmeichel added that he doesn’t think Hojlund would want to come back to Old Trafford ahead of Napoli meeting a key requirement for the transfer.
“But I don’t think he wants to come back and I don’t think he can because Napoli have already qualified for the Champions League,” he continued.
Hojlund netted 26 times and registered six assists in 95 matches across all competitions for Man Utd after the Red Devils signed him in a £72m deal.
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