Napoli can make Hojlund’s loan move permanent for £38million (Picture: Getty)
Napoli will trigger a permanent move for Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund regardless of whether the club qualify for the Champions League next season.
Hojlund, who joined United in a deal worth £72million from Atalanta in the summer of 2023, left Old Trafford to join the Serie A giants on a season-long loan deal last summer.
He was among a clutch of attacking players moved to make room for new arrivals Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony also leaving the club.
Following in the footsteps of Scott McTominay who has been reborn at Napoli, Hojlund has enjoyed an impressive season back in Italy.
The Denmark international has scored 13 goals in 35 appearances, finding the target on big occasions against Juventus in Serie A and against Sporting CP and Chelsea in the Champions League.
The arrangement that took him to Naples included an obligation to buy if Napoli qualify for next season’s Champions League. Currently sat in third, the defending champions are currently on course to do that.
But even in the event of Napoli failing to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition, their sporting director Giovanni Manna says the club are very likely to make the deal permanent regardless.
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The Dane has been back among the goals in Italy (Picture: Getty)
‘Hojlund has been instrumental,’ Manna said. ‘Even when he hasn’t scored, he’s always worked hard for the team.
‘We have an obligation to buy him outright if we qualify for the Champions League, but I don’t think his future lies far from Napoli even if that doesn’t happen.’
Hojlund struggled badly at United last season (Picture: Getty)
The permanent fee agreed between United and Napoli is thought to be £38million.
Hojlund has already made clear he sees his long-term future in Italy with Antonio Conte’s side.
‘Next season, I’ll give my interviews in Italian,’ Hojlund joked in December after ending a run of eight games without a goal.
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