Manchester United seem set to sell Rasmus Højlund - but would selling him be a mistake?
Given how far his head fell and how little confidence he seemed to have by the end of the Premier League season, it’s not all that much of a surprise that Manchester United are already prepared to give up on Rasmus Højlund.
Although Ruben Amorim has not made an official comment on the Danish forward’s future, widespread reports suggest that Højlund is for sale, which a likely price tag in the region of £30m – far less than half of what United paid for him in the first place two years ago.
Several teams from Serie A and the Bundesliga, including Napoli, Juventus and RB Leipzig, have been linked with a bid for the 22-year-old, who has scored 26 goals for United in 73 appearances, but should United be willing to let him leave for such a significant loss? And should any Premier League teams be in the running as well?
Why Manchester United should give Rasmus Højlund a second chance
While Højlund’s form and confidence in front of goal fell off a cliff in the 2024/25 season, he seems determined to make amends and rediscover his best form, at least based on comments made after scoring in a 4-1 pre-season friendly win over Bournemouth in Chicago.
“The most important thing for me is just to keep working hard and stay focused and then obviously we'll see what happens,” the striker told the media. “My plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens."
The comments of a player who knows fine well that his club wants him gone, but who also has the right mentality about the situation and would, perhaps, prefer to set the record straight rather than leave on a low.
It wasn’t so long ago that there was widespread optimism about Højlund’s future at Old Trafford, especially after a run in which he scored eight goals in eight games between December 2023 and February 2024. The youngster has rare physical talents and when he’s feeling in the groove provides a serious goal threat.
The issue is that when he’s not on song, he struggles. It was the same at Atalanta before he moved to Manchester, when he tended to score in flurries and in fits and starts. He could be a machine for a month or so, bullying defenders with his strength and power and scoring at will – then he would slow down, start losing one-on-ones and start finishing as though he had lead in his boots.
Whatever the mental or technical blocks that lead to his struggles at times, it’s hard not to wonder if United shouldn’t be willing to give him more time to work through them and the right coaching to make that happen, especially given the size of the initial investment - £64m up front with another £8m in add-ons. To sell him at such a loss so quickly hardly represents good economic sense, and with three years left on his contract his value is protected for at least another year.
There seem to be quite a few sides willing to take a bet on his positive traits and on the composure and precision he demonstrates in his better moments, which should maybe tell United that they’re selling Højlund too cheap or too hastily. At 22, he has room to develop, especially in terms of maturity and his calmness in the face of adversity. It makes little sense to make an expensive gamble on a player who plainly had plenty of developing to do and then abandon the experiment so swiftly.
It’s true that when he’s at a low ebb, Højlund’s first touch tends to be poor and his shooting wayward or simple snatched. It’s also true, however, that he has excellent movement off the ball, a good turn of pace and the strength to handle even the most physical defenders. All the attributes required are there. He just needs to put them together.
It's understandable that United wouldn’t feel comfortable having him lead the line heading into next season, but if they do sign a new striker such as current target Benjamin Šeško, then giving Højlund a year as their understudy would make logical sense. It would take a little bit of the pressure off and give him more space to learn his trade without the weight of too much expectation on him. It would also make a lot of financial sense, something that seems to be lacking at Old Trafford.
Aston Villa among the other teams who could give Højlund a chance
Højlund will, in all likelihood, be sold this summer, whether it’s a sensible decision or not, and with no credible sources linking him to any Premier League clubs as it stands, it’s likely he will be heading to the continent – but one wonders whether any teams in England couldn’t stand to take a gamble at just £30m.
Aston Villa are shopping around for a striker to take up the slack from Jhon Durán and have been linked with a £55m move for Samu Agehowa – Højlund would offer much of the same quality and youth at half the price, albeit with few guarantees.
Fulham too need a striker, especially with Rodrigo Muniz’s future in doubt, and could stand to get their squad a bit younger. They perhaps don’t have the clout to compete with teams like Juventus for signings anyway, but they’ve got the money to ask the question. Then there’s West Ham, bereft of a reliable number nine for many years now.
£30m is an affordable gamble for most Premier League sides, and Højlund has demonstrated that he can score goals at the highest level – he just hasn’t yet demonstrated that he can do so consistently and keep it together when adversity hits and when his touch starts letting him down.
Get that side of the equation in order, and Højlund should be a first-rate forward, or at least something close to it. United’s desire to sell could easily leave them with a bloody nose and some more embarrassing questions to answer about their transfer policy down the line. If he does find that consistency and self-belief that he needs, then he’ll be worth a great deal more than £30m.
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