Manchester United have reached an agreement on a transfer deal worth £72 million to acquire the services of Rasmus Hojlund, the talented striker from Denmark who currently plays for Atalanta in Serie A.
The 20-year-old Hojlund will make the move to Old Trafford for an initial fee of £64 million, with the potential for an additional £8 million in add-ons. He had an impressive stint with Atalanta last season, scoring 10 goals in 34 appearances after joining the club in August 2022.
Upon joining Manchester United, Hojlund will sign a five-year contract, with an option for an extra season. The signing of Hojlund will be the third major acquisition for United manager Erik Ten Hag during the summer transfer window, following the arrivals of midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea for £55 million and goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan for £47.2 million.
Manchester United had been exploring various striking options but ultimately settled on Hojlund as Ten Hag's top choice for the position. The club had previously distanced itself from pursuing Tottenham's Harry Kane due to cost and complexity concerns.
While some details still need to be finalized for the Hojlund transfer, personal terms are not expected to be a hindrance. The completion of this transfer fulfills Ten Hag's desire to secure a forward before the start of the season, and with Hojlund, Mount, and Onana on board, United believes it has conducted the majority of its summer transfer business.
The overall spending for Manchester United in this window will amount to at least £166.2 million, and it could potentially reach £180 million.
Paris St-Germain, the reigning Ligue 1 champions, had also shown interest in Hojlund as a possible replacement for France captain Kylian Mbappe, whose future at the club was uncertain.
Hojlund's football journey began with Copenhagen, where he made his Danish Superliga debut at the age of 17 in 2020. He later moved to Austrian club Sturm Graz, where his prolific goal-scoring record earned him the move to Atalanta for a reported £15 million, a significant increase from his initial transfer fee.
On the international stage, Hojlund made his debut for Denmark in 2022 and has already showcased his abilities with six goals in six games during Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Assuming the transfer is finalized in time, Hojlund might be available for selection in Manchester United's final pre-season friendlies against Lens and Athletic Bilbao.
During a news conference before United's tour game against Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas, Ten Hag refrained from discussing Hojlund, respecting the fact that the player is still under contract with Atalanta.?
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