Rasmus Hojlund revival reflects poorly on Manchester United as telling point made

Rasmus Hojlund continued his explosive start to the season with two goals for Denmark, suggesting Man Utd may have blundered by offloading the young striker too soon

Given the way Rasmus Hojlund has flourished since leaving Manchester United this summer, Denmark boss Brian Riemer would appear to have a point.

Hojlund, who has joined Napoli on a season-long loan, scored twice for his country as they thumped Belarus 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

The double took Hojlund's tally for club and country to seven goals already this season, including late winners in the Champions League against Sporting Lisbon and Genoa in Serie A.

Considering Hojlund only managed 10 goals in all competitions for United last season – just four in the Premier League - to say the 22-year-old is reborn as a player is something of an understatement.

Hojlund has revived his stagnant career within a matter of weeks at Napoli, just like fellow United outcasts Marcus Rashford and Antony have done at Barcelona and Real Betis respectively, and is thriving on the supply line provided by fellow summer arrival, former Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.

Hojlund's explosive start to life in Italy makes it legitimate to question whether United jettisoned him too soon and would have been better served holding on to him, despite the £74million acquisition of Benjamin Sesko.

Denmark boss Riemer certainly thinks so. “I think Rasmus has the quality for both leagues, without discussion,” he said. “Does he fit in Italian football? Yes. There was no doubt about that, because he had already proven that. But that doesn't mean he doesn't fit in English football. On the contrary, I would almost say.

“The fact that he's now in a well-functioning team and has players around him who take pride in doing good for others helps to make the outcome for a striker like Rasmus, who needs to be serviced. It's more important than which league you play in.”

Reimer has a point. Watching Hojlund's two goals against Sporting, both provided by De Bruyne, it is hard to recall the young striker being afforded the same service at United, certainly in his second season, when he was starved of it.

Hojlund was not helped by never being able to step out of the firing line during his two seasons at Old Trafford, where he lead the attack week-in, week-out, without any respite, because there was no-one else to share the burden.

He said as much on United's pre-season tour of the US, before he was offloaded to make way for the arrival of Benjamin Sesko. Had United qualified for Europe this season, perhaps Hojlund could have stayed to share attacking duties with Sesko, but too few fixtures meant something had to give and it was the Dane who was moved on, rather than Joshua Zirkzee.

Whether that will prove a mistake or not, with Napoli able to buy Hojlund for £38m at the end of their loan agreement – roughly half of what United paid for him – only time will tell. But the early signs are not looking good for United, give the electric start Hojlund has made to life it Italy.

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