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Manchester United will bid to make young Denmark international Rasmus Hojlund their new first-choice striker this window, as they seek to deliver Erik ten Hag the second major signing of the summer amid growing uncertainty on the proposed takeover.
The club have been working according to a strict budget because of financial fair play considerations but believe that they can deliver Hojlund this summer for around £50 million – although the deal might have to wait for resolution in the Glazer sale process. The 20-year-old had an impressive breakthrough season at Atalanta in Serie A last season with nine league goals in 32 games and is regarded as a player with huge scope for improvement.
United have been pushed hard for the £60 million fee for Mason Mount from Chelsea and are now seeking to cover their two other key positional targets this summer. Their striker options going into the window were Hojlund and the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, and France international, Randal Kolo Muani. Ten Hag has identified Højlund as his preference.
United’s losses in the previous financial year of £115.5 million have put limits on what is available to Ten Hag this summer and put pressure on to make sales. It was anticipated that there would have been a final decision made on the takeover process by now but the Glazer siblings continue to mull over their three options. Those are Qatari Sheikh Jassim’s bid, the opposing offer from Ineos billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, or seeking further investment while retaining control. In the meantime, the club is working to the original plan.
That means that a goalscorer must be found, alongside a goalkeeper, as well as the many sales that the club had hoped to push through. Andre Onana, a former Ajax player with Ten Hag now at Inter Milan, is the principal goalkeeper target. The Inter valuation of £51.5 million is believed to be some way off that made by United, around £38.5 million.
As for the striker, Hojlund is the more realistic although his price has rocketed this season in what is a restricted market for established goalscoring talent. He has played fewer than 100 senior club games since his Danish Superliga debut for Copenhagen in October 2020. He joined Austrian Bundesliga club Sturm Graz in January last year and then Atalanta in the summer. He was first capped for his country less than a year ago and is undoubtedly a very promising talent.
Meanwhile United are looking at the sale of one or all of Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho, Fred, Scott McTominay, Antony Martial, Alex Telles, Anthony Elanga and Eric Bailly in order to reset their financial fair play consideration.
United had looked at the possibility of a bid for Harry Kane, with one year left on his contract at Tottenham Hotspur. With no resolution yet on the takeover that is currently not a viable option given price and Spurs’ unwillingness to sell him within the Premier League. Nevertheless Ten Hag is an admirer of the player.