The Red Devils have signed 20-year-old Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund – but just how good is he?

It's no secret that Manchester United were in desperate need of a new No.9. Cristiano Ronaldo's departure last November left a gaping hole in the squad, and Burnley loanee Wout Weghorst was never going to be the right man to fill it.

Unitedpassed on a permanent deal for Weghorst, who only managed to score twice in 31 appearances after his arrival at Old Trafford in January, leaving Erik ten Hag with only Anthony Martial left to call upon as a natural centre-forward. By this stage, he will be well aware that the injury-plagued Frenchman cannot be relied upon.

Marcus Rashford, meanwhile, is riding high after his first 30-goal campaign, but he has always been better suited to a left-ring role than a central striker. United needed a ruthless marksman up top, and were credited with an interest in some of Europe's finest.

Ten Hag's initial shortlist reportedly included Tottenham talisman Harry Kane, Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen and Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani. But United were priced out of a deal for Kane and Osimhen also proved too pricey. The Kolo Muani links cooled also.

Enter Rasmus Hojlund. After lengthy negotiations, United have finally agreed a deal for Hojlund worth an initial €75m (£64m/$83m) plus €10m (£9m/$11m) in add-ons. He has arrived on a five-year contract – an indication that the Red Devils are banking on him becoming their long-term No.9.

Hojlund has enjoyed a breakout 2022-23 season in Serie A, but is he ready to lead the line for one of the biggest clubs in world football? GOAL examines his potential…

YouTubeWhere it all began

Hojlund grew up in Copenhagen, Denmark, and has always had football in his blood – with his father Anders having played as a professional in the Danish top flight. And Anders did his best to help Rasmus and his younger twin brothers, Emil and Oscar, tread a similar path.

Rasmus showed promise from a very early age, and started learning his trade at Horsholm-Usserod Idrætsforenin, before taking in spells in the academy ranks at both Brondby and Holbaek. His hometown club eventually came calling in 2017, and the talented forward made an instant impression for FC Copenhagen's U19s, scoring 15 goals in his first 22 games.

His senior debut eventually came in October 2020, in a Superligaen clash with Aarhus, and he would go on to make 32 appearances across all competitions for Copenhagen. Hojlund only scored five goals during that time, though, and the club did not hesitate to sell when Austrian outfit Sturm Graz came calling in January 2022.

Hojlund made the move to Graz for just €1.9 million, and made an instant impact at the Liebenauer Stadium. He scored twice on his debut for the club, leaving Tirol defender Raffael Behounek completely stunned. "He will be worth every penny," Behounek told. "He is an absolute machine. When he has space, he is very difficult to defend against."

Graz manager Christian Ilzer soon realised that Hojlund was in a different class to his peers in the dressing room. “Hojlund has always been a self-confident boy,” he said. “He even seems cocky if you don’t know him. He has flair, speed and an above-average footballing intelligence.”

Graz went on to finish second in the Austrian Bundesliga behind Red Bull Salzburg with the help of Hojlund, qualifying for the Champions League play-offs. Dynamo Kyiv ultimately blocked Graz's progress, but Hojlund scored their only goal over the two legs as he started the 2022-23 season with a bang.

Hojlund recorded five goal contributions in his first five Bundesliga outings, leading to links with Premier League giants Newcastle, as well as Club Brugge. It was Atalanta who won the race for his signature, though, as Graz accepted the Italian club's €17m bid at the end of August.

AdvertisementGettyThe big break

Shortly after his arrival in Bergamo, Hojlund was called up to the Denmark national team for the first time, and earned his first cap from the bench in a memorable 2-0 Nations League victory over France. The talented frontman also had to get used to a role among the substitutes in his first few months with Atalanta.

Holjund only started four Serie A games for Atalanta between September and December, but he forced his way into Gian Piero Gasperini's line up after the turn of the year. The Denmark international scored in each of his first four appearances in 2023, which set the stage for a stunning performance in Rome.

Atalanta were underdogs when they faced Lazio at Stadio Olimpico on February 11, having lost the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign. But Hojlund bullied the home defence from minute one, and almost scored two spectacular solo goals inside the first 48 minutes, only to narrowly come up short with his finishing on both occasions.

Hojlund eventually got the goal his performance deserved just after the hour mark, sliding the ball home from close range after latching onto a cross from Ademola Lookman. The goal effectively sealed a 2-0 victory for Atalanta, and Gasperini heaped praise on Hojlund after the final whistle.

“Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also technical quality that is just remarkable,” the Atalanta boss told reporters. "He still has so much margin for improvement, too. He is so quick, he’s under 11 seconds over 100m and that’s not even trying very hard.Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity and can move his legs very fast. I am convinced he’ll have a great career, he just gets stronger every day.”

This was the moment that Hojlund truly announced himself as one of Europe's brightest young prospects.

GettyHow it's going

Hojlund was back on international duty with Denmark in March, and got the nod for his full debut in their opening Euro 2024 qualifying clash against Finland. The 20-year-old scored a brilliant hat-trick to give Kasper Hjulmand's side a 3-1 victory, and helped himself to another two goals in their surprise loss to Kazakhstan on matchday two.

In the space of a week, Hojlund made himself undroppable. Being left out of Denmark's squad for the 2022 World Cup four months earlier only strengthened his resolve, with Hjulmand adamant that his decision was for the best, despite his side's early elimination in Qatar.

"There is no doubt that the World Cup break was good for Rasmus," the Denmark manager said after the Finland game. "During that period, he trained extremely well and hard to put in more effort. He gained a better understanding of the language, of Gasperini and how Atalanta played. We are happy that he has reached where he is now."

Hojlund continued to shine for Atalanta after the international break, and finished the campaign with a respectable total of 10 goals and four assists from 34 appearances in all competitions. Gasperini knew he had a diamond on his hands, but warned that he can't afford to rest on his laurels.

“He has very important qualities and he has demonstrated them,” the Italian coach said after seeing Hojlund produce another star turn in a 3-1 win against Cremonese in April. “He is very young and he must not think that he has nothing more to learn. The stairs to improve are endless, he must not lose humility and mentality.”

Hojlund was under contract at the Gewiss Stadium until 2027, but has now headed for pastures new. Gasperini's warning stemmed from his desire to avoid losing a key member of his squad, but the truth is, Hojlund has already outgrown Atalanta – and United could be the best place for him to unlock his full potential.

GettyBiggest strengths

“I didn’t expect him to be this strong. When he joined, his qualities were noticeable, but maybe his first touch and conditioning were a bit lacking. He has incredible quickness and the stamina to go for the entire 90 minutes now.” Atalanta’s Marten de Roon's assessment of Hojlund in April spoke volumes for how highly he is regarded behind the scenes in Bergamo.

Club captain Rafael Toloi has been similarly effusive in his praise of the Danish frontman: “Hojlund is a great talent, physically strong and with great speed. He has everything he needs to be great and is working with the right coach and with the right team.”

Blessed with imposing physical attributes, Hojlund is also deceptively quick and intelligent when it comes to timing his runs in behind. He thrives when carrying the ball in the transition and boasts excellent instincts in the box, with defenders often left on their heels trying to keep track of him.

Hojlund doesn't waste energy either. A lot of modern-day forwards have the tendency to drift into wide areas, but the Dane sticks in the centre and works the channels constantly, while saving most of his shots on goal for inside the 18-yard box.

He's a natural when it comes to sniffing out chances, and more often than not, has the clinical edge to match his work rate and skill. Hojlund looks like the ideal fit for the Premier League, and indeed United.

With the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Rashford and Casemiro providing the service, Hojlund has every opportunity to hit the ground running at Old Trafford. He also appears to share the same arrogant streak as some of the Red Devils' great No.9s of the past – all he needs is the platform to prove himself.