Rasmus Hojlund continues to flirt digitally with Premier League giants Manchester United after ‘liking’ an Instagram post showing Erik ten Hag and Alejandro Garnacho celebrate the winger’s new contract.
A front three of Garnacho, Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund? The future, at Old Trafford, could soon look brighter than ever; Man United casting an eye over one of European football’s most exciting young strikers ahead of the summer transfer window, according to the Manchester Evening News.
The £45 million-rated Hojlund has made quite the impression in his breakthrough campaign. For club and country, Atalatan’s Denmark international has scored 17 goals in 25 games in all competitions, including a hat-trick against Finland in Euro 2024 Qualifying.
Comparisons with one Erling Haaland, meanwhile, are not just the result of their similar surnames.
Manchester United are watching Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund
Hojlund has made no secret of his admiration for the three-time European champions either. The former Sturm Graz starlet is a self-professed Red Devils fanatic.
“I will not hide it. I am a huge Manchester United fan,” Hojlund smiles. “So (joining them) would be a big thing for me.”
It didn’t go unnoticed that the 20-year-old then followed a whole host of Man United first-teamers on Instagram. And Hojlund ’liking’ a post showing Ten Hag’s impassioned speech in front of the Garnacho family – United’s bright young thing committing his long-term future to the Old Trafford outfit – has caught the eye too, via UTDPlug’s Twitter page.
Is it unfair to suggest Hojlund knows what he’s doing? It’s not exactly uncommon, in this day and age, for footballers hoping for a move to let their social media activity do the talking, in the knowledge that obsessive fans do not tend to let even the most cryptic post or ‘like’ fly under their radar.
‘A United player’
“He is a huge talent who can go really far if he continues to keep his feet on the ground,” Denmark team-mate Philip Billing said of Hojlund after that Finland treble.
“Manchester United; The way he plays, I can see him there in the summer. They also apparently lack a striker. He has enormous potential and I feel he is a United player.”
“Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity. But also technical quality that is just remarkable,” beams Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
“He still has so much margin for improvement, too. He has very similar characteristics to Haaland. Not just his face! He is so quick. He’s under 11 seconds over 100m 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.”
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