Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund ‘considers himself better’ than summer signing Benjamin Sesko after signing for Napoli on loan, according to reports.
The Red Devils chose to sign a new striker over a midfielder in the final month of the transfer market with Sesko arriving from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £74m.
Hojlund joined his boyhood club Man Utd in 2023 for £72m from Serie A side Atalanta but he failed to hit the ground running at Old Trafford.
The Denmark international managed a very respectable 10 Premier League goals in 30 appearances in his first season but the 22-year-old could only manage four goals in 31 matches last term.
Hojlund was linked all summer with a move away from Old Trafford and he pushed back on leaving during the transfer window as he looked to remain at Man Utd.
He told reporters during pre-season: “My plan is very clear. That is for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens.
READ: Villa and Newcastle among transfer window losers as idea of a Big Eight suffers fatal blow
“Competition is fine with me. It sharpens me. I’m more than ready. I’m feeling sharp so I welcome everything that comes.”
Hojlund added: “When I came, [Anthony] Martial was there as well but he had a lot of injuries, so I obviously had to take a lot of the game time
“You’re not going to tell me I shouldn’t be playing because I want to play every game. But obviously I could have done with some help in terms of sharing the games a bit, especially in the beginning.”
Hojlund continued to plead his case for staying at Man Utd, he said: “I’m still very young. People forget that sometimes. I’m only 22. Not every striker scores 100 goals by that age.
“But I’ve learned a lot, I think you can see it in my game. I’m starting to develop and become even better in the basics.
“Last season was tough on us all. I should have done better, everybody knows.
“But it’s also a team thing. We’re going to be better now. We are progressing in the right way and looking forward to what’s coming.”
MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Man Utd: Ratcliffe blocked ‘proposal’ for shock re-signing for one reason despite three positive factors
👉 Real Madrid ‘generate great anger’ at Man Utd with the Red Devils ‘losing a great player’
👉 Man Utd will ‘return’ for Prem star they ‘agreed’ deal with as ‘Wilcox advocated’ another player
Napoli eventually agreed a loan move for Hojlund with the Danish striker staying until the end of the season and Man Utd included a €44m buy option which will turn into an obligation if the Serie A side qualify for the Champions League.
And now The Athletic have revealed that one of the reasons he was looking to stay and fight for his place was his belief that he is better than new signing Sesko.
The Athletic wrote: ‘Part of Hojlund’s motivation, it can be revealed, was that he considers himself better than the centre-forward United have agreed to pay €85million for. He felt showing that in sessions might give Amorim pause for thought on his departure, despite Sesko’s arrival.’
The potential end of his time at Old Trafford has been a sad time for Hojlund, the report added: ‘Hojlund was said to be heartbroken over the realisation his Old Trafford dream was over aged 22, especially when he started pre-season expecting to continue. The episode demonstrates how Ratcliffe, Berrada, Wilcox and Amorim are operating without sentiment.’
