Rasmus Hojlund has had a successful loan spell with Italian giants Napoli, and a permanent move from Old Trafford appears to be all but confirmed.
Napoli bosses say Rasmus Hejlund’s permanent move from Manchester United is a “formal formality”. The Danish striker joined the Italian giants on a season-long loan deal in the summer and quickly attracted attention.
The Serie A giants have an option to buy him out at the end of his contract for 50 million euros (about £43.6 million), but that becomes an obligation if Napoli qualify for the Champions League at the end of the season. However, all signs point to Hojlund making a permanent move nonetheless. Napoli manager Giovanni Manna admitted that both sides consider the transfer a done deal.
“We did everything we could to sign him. More established clubs were interested, but his will is extremely important and we are proud of it,” Manna told Italy’s Corriere dello Sport.
“We had no doubts. Rasmus is decisive in terms of numbers, but also in how he understands the coach’s opinion. This makes the difference.”
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“If we qualify for the Champions League, we have the option and the obligation to buy. The player sees himself as a Napoli player, and so do we. This is very important.”
When asked if the permanent transfer was already official, Mana answered, “As of today, I think so.” Mana’s comments come amid claims in Italy that Napoli have already finalized the terms of a permanent contract with Hojlund.
It has been suggested that the forward’s contract with Napoli could include an €85m (approximately £74.2m) release clause, which will come into effect from summer 2027. The 22-year-old has scored seven goals in 19 appearances for the club this season.
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Napoli manager Antonio Conte recently said of Jojlund’s form: “Hojlund is a very young player, only 22 years old, and a player who can improve a lot.”
“He has progressed since he first joined us to the point where he is already a dominant player in that role, because he is starting to understand what to do in the right position, how to protect the ball, when to go for it and when to step back.”
The Italian added: “He connects really well with the team. In my style of football, the striker plays a very important and special role in the overall approach and he has huge room for further improvement.”
Hoylund, who joined Man United from Atalanta in 2023, scored 16 goals in his debut season and a further 10 in his second season, but only four of those came in the Premier League.
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