It is indeed “here we go” time when it comes to Rasmus Hojlund! As was widely reported yesterday, Manchester United and Atalanta have reached an agreement on a transfer fee for the 20-year-old striker. The Old Trafford club will pay £64 million ($82 million) plus another £8m ($10m) for the Danish international.
According to Paul Hirst of the Times (see the embedded tweet below), the young hitman is now set to undergo his United medical this week.
???? Should there be no hiccups with the paperwork or Rasmus Hojlund’s medical, he will complete his transfer this week and could make his #mufc debut against Lens at Old Trafford or against Athletic Bilbao the following day in Dublin. [@hirstclass] pic.twitter.com/LDDBsF428v
— UtdXclusive (@UtdXclusive) July 29, 2023
Then it’s just a matter of putting the final touches on the paperwork, lawyer stuff, contract formalities etc. Then he could make his United debut next weekend, as the Red Devils have a pair of friendlies on back to back days. They’ll take on Lens at Old Trafford on Saturday, followed by a clash with Athletic Club at Aviva Stadium in Dublin the next day.
Having a quick turnaround with these two exhibition matches, manager Erik Ten Hag will no doubt heavily rotate his squad, so that means a lot of opportunities for minutes for a lot of different guys. Hojlund is truly a win-win acquisition that works on two levels.
Having him up top, centrally, and playing in a No. 9 role means that Marcus Rashford can now stay full time at his best and more natural position, on the left attacking flank. The Hojlund signing also means that Anthony Martial could be on the move this summer, provided they find a buyer.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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