A dream was ended on deadline day as Rasmus Hojlund joined Napoli, leaving his dream club, Manchester United, with a whimper.
Rasmus Hojlund’s spell at Manchester United will be remembered as a case of too much, too soon, as neither the club nor the player was ready for each other when the move happened.
Hojlund needed time and support, while United needed instant impact and help for themselves, let alone help a youngster.
He has now joined Napoli and has struck a confident tone in his first interview with the club. Man Utd have had a clear impact on his career.
Danish player Rasmus Hojlund poses as a new SSC Napoli player on September 1, 2025
Photo by SSC NAPOLI/SSC NAPOLI via Getty Images
Rasmus Hojlund’s strong Man Utd claim
Nobody will ever consider Hojlund’s spell at Old Trafford as anything less than a failure, but some perspective is needed.
He shouldn’t even have been in a position where he needed to score 20 goals every season straightaway, as he came to the club injured and with less than 1000 minutes of Serie A football.
The transfer fee added unnecessary pressure as well, and his desperation to do well trapped him in a vicious cycle of low confidence leading to poor performances.
He’s clearly a better player than he showed at Man Utd, and the hope is that the chastening experience at Old Trafford will have fast-tracked his development, at least mentally.
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That’s what he claimed in his first interview with Napoli after joining the club.
Hojlund said: “It’s different now, obviously, as I come with more experience and I’m a better football player. I come with a lot of international experience.
“I played in the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, and in multiple countries. I come with a lot to prove. I want to show myself in the best team in Italy, and Napoli is going to be very, very good.
“I’ve been looking forward to this opportunity, I’m very, very grateful, and I’m going to do my best to make us win something this year again, and to do the fans and club proud.”
Hojlund’s story at Man Utd might not be over
Hojlund clearly didn’t want to leave Man Utd until the very last day, and that speaks volumes about his professionalism and determination.
Napoli have negotiated a buy option that becomes an obligation if Napoli qualify for the Champions League, which means it’s likely to be triggered.
Either way, Hojlund has gone to Italy as a man on a mission, with something to prove, and that should drive better performances.
If he succeeds at Napoli and becomes a permanent player there, United will remain in the back of his mind as a place where he has to reset the narrative.
In a dream world, Hojlund returns to United in three or four years on a permanent transfer after lighting it up at Napoli, and becomes the striker that United thought they signed in a 19-year-old Hojlund.
That would be a fairytale return for a boyhood fan. First things first, though, he needs to impress at Napoli!