Coach suggests Manchester United can sign their Haaland in £45m striker

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Manchester United could sign a striker ‘similar’ to Erling Haaland with near-namesake Rasmus Hojlund going from strength-to-strength in Serie A. 

Giving away goals at one hand while squandering chance after chance at the other. As cocktails go, this is one that leaves your nursing a rather nasty hangover.

Blunders at both ends of the pitch cost Erik ten Hag’s side dear during successive 1-0 defeats at Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham last week, ensuring a nervy few weeks ahead as Man United look to belatedly secure a Champions League place that looked to be in the bag not so long ago.

Just imagine, for a second, what a couple of well-placed additions could do for this team. A commanding goalkeeper to replace the increasingly error-prone David de Gea. And a striker capable of scarfing down the veritable buffet of chances served up by Bruno Fernandes.

Manchester United need a striker

According to the Manchester Evening News, a new centre-forward is right at the top of Ten Hag’s summer wishlist. The lofty fees demanded for the likes of Victor Osimhen, Goncalo Ramos, Randal Kolo Muani and Harry Kane may force United to cast their net a little wider, especially with the ownership situation still very much uncertain.

Atalanta youngster Rasmus Hojlund does not possess Kane’s proven Premier League record. Or, indeed, Osimhen’s reputation. He does, however, share a lot in common with Manchester City’s ponytailed T-1000; comparisons between Hojlund and Haaland not merely limited to their similar surnames.

“Hojlund has developed extremely in the past year,” Steffen Hojer, who worked with the 20-year-old for Denmark’s U21 side, tells DR.

“There are some similarities between the two. Hojlund is such a talented and smart guy. He knows very well that he has to look at the Norwegian if he wants to develop.”

‘Very similar to Erling Haaland’

Hojlund has scored 17 goals in 26 starts for club and country in 2022/23, including a hat-trick on his debut for the Danish senior side against Scandinavian neighbours Finland in European Championship Qualifying.

At £45 million, Hojlund – a diehard Manchester United fanatic – would cost about half the fee required to take Kane or Osimhen to Old Trafford too.

“He has very similar characteristics to Haaland,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini smiles.

“He’s so quick. He can run 100 metres in under 11 seconds, and that’s not even trying very hard. Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity and can move his legs very fast.

“I am convinced he’ll have a great career. He just gets stronger every day.”