Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has criticised the Old Trafford outfit for their failure to bring the best out of Rasmus Hojlund.
Hojlund arrived at United from Atalanta in 2023 for a reported £72 million, but despite flashes of promise, he ultimately failed to deliver the consistency expected of a leading number nine.
The Denmark international was sent on loan to Napoli last year with an obligation to buy, and the Italian side made his move permanent this summer.
Schmeichel believes United made a costly mistake by moving on from Hojlund too quickly, arguing that the club failed to provide the young striker with the service he needed to succeed.
He said (via The Overlap): “Rasmus Hojlund was a goal machine. And he will be a goal machine everywhere.
“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.”
“This is a fantastic player. What do we do? Well, we got the head of recruitment 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?”
Man United were right to cash in on Rasmus Hojlund
While Schmeichel is entitled to question United’s decision, the club had legitimate reasons to move on from Hojlund after his performances began to fall short of expectations.
The Danish striker enjoyed a promising first season at Old Trafford, scoring 10 league goals in the 2023-24 campaign.
However, his form declined dramatically the following season, when he managed just four Premier League goals.
Hojlund struggled to impose himself against opposition defenders, and his lack of consistent goalscoring output became a major concern for United.
There is little doubt that he had a strong emotional connection to the club.
United also needed to address their financial constraints and reshape their attacking options. Moving Hojlund on created an opportunity to invest in a different profile of striker.
Benjamin Sesko enjoyed an encouraging first season at United, showing glimpses of the quality that persuaded the club to sign him. However, injury problems have disrupted his progress in this campaign.
The Slovenia forward has made six substitute appearances but has still managed to find the net twice.
Schmeichel may believe United gave up on Hojlund too soon, but the decision to move on was understandable. The real test now is whether Sesko can stay fit and deliver the goals United desperately need.
Stats from Fotmob.com