MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 10: Pundit and former football player Peter Schmeichel looks on before the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Manchester United and Sabah FC at Old Trafford on September 10, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Peter Schmeichel has suggested Rasmus Hojlund was set up to fail at Manchester United and sold before being given a proper chance to prove himself.
The forward’s permanent move to Napoli was finalised last summer after they qualified for the Champions League, with United earning around £44 million from his sale.
What happened with Hojlund and United?
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Old Trafford on April 20, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Hojlund was shipped out on loan to Naples at the start of 2025/2026 following United’s £73m acquisition of Benjamin Sesko, which confirmed he would no longer be holding a starting role.
The Dane did breach the 10-goal mark in his maiden Premier League term, but registered only four goals in 32 top-flight appearances in his sophomore year.
Rasmus Hojlund has his first Premier League goal — and look at what it means to him…#MUNAVL | #MUFC 🎥 @primevideosportpic.twitter.com/0fVHFqBbp6 — The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) December 26, 2023
It was that poor return that prompted INEOS to sign a like-for-like replacement striker in the summer window, with Sesko eventually making the switch from RB Leipzig.
However, with the Slovenian now overseeing another spell on the sidelines due to a re-aggravation of a shin injury, Schmeichel believes United would’ve been better off keeping Hojlund instead.
Schmeichel weighs in on Hojlund/Sesko differences
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 13: Benjamin Sesko of Manchester United during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on September 13, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
“Rasmus Hojlund was a goal machine. And he will be a goal machine everywhere,” said the ex-goalkeeper of his compatriot.
"He will be a goal machine!" 🔥 Peter Schmeichel believes Manchester United should've kept Rasmus Højlund. Watch the latest Overlap Daily episode now on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts 🙌⚽️ pic.twitter.com/gjNjLP6lAR — Overlap Daily (@ThatsFootballTV) October 28, 2026
“He’ll have periods where he doesn’t score, but he will score a lot of goals. He’s young and, from childhood, completely a Manchester United fan. He would do anything for this football club, and he played in the period where he had no service.
“He had players there who very openly would not even pass it to him. A young kid who needed to be coached in order to maximise his great talent, which I think he has; I see him playing for Denmark.
“This is a fantastic player. What do we do? Well, we got the head of recruitment in from Red Bull [United’s director of recruitment, formerly technical director at RB Leipzig] and what does he do? He brings in his player.
“So you’ve got Benjamin Sesko, who is a great player but is always injured. He doesn’t play. We have already gone two years down the road with a striker who has so much potential. Why did we feel the need to make a change there?”
Paul Scholes looking on
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 12: Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United, looks on during the training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD2 at Carrington Training Ground on October 12, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Michael Carrick giving the thumps-up
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