In Rasmus Hojlund, Erik ten Hag is getting a 6’3″ striker that didn’t just occasionally push defenders out of his way to find the back of the net in Italy last season but also showed a similar level of mental strength and desire to push for a move to Old Trafford.
Paris Saint-Germain links in late in July might’ve made a few United faithful nervous, but according to Alfredo Pedulla, those reports on “front page” didn’t impact United’s negotiations with Atalanta.
He adds that perhaps even decision-makers in the French capital knew Hojlund had just one club in his sights, which is why they backed off and never made an offer.
His United love affair isn’t new, as earlier this year the Dane revealed he followed Cristiano Ronaldo’s exploits at the Theatre of Dreams as a kid.
The determination to make this transfer happen wasn’t just one-sided this summer, as Pedulla claims United had only one name in mind: Hojlund.
However, negotiations to find an agreement over a transfer fee for the high-potential but inexperienced talent weren’t easy for United.
The Red Devils initially proposed a players-plus-cash deal, but La Dea budged little from their stance and ended up securing a deal that would see them pocket well over 60 million euros (£51.4m) for the Dane, as per Pedulla.
Despite the 20-year-old’s very promising maiden campaign in Serie A – 13 goal involvements in 32 appearances – his transfer fee represents great value considering Atalanta only spent 17 million euros (£14.5m) to sign him from Sturm Graz.
Further, Gian Piero Gasperini has already managed to get his hands on a promising replacement: El Bilal Touré.
Numbers aside, Hojlund – who is considered “among the very best emerging players in Europe” by Gasperini – is an excellent addition to Ten Hag’s side, as he matches the profile of striker the Dutch coach has been searching for ever since he was appointed as United’s manager.
The Denmark international possesses pace, power, and technical security to efficiently lead the side’s attacking line. All he needs is patience and the right squad dynamics to fulfill his potential.
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