Rasmus Højlund | Signed for United

[bosskeano]

for this guys price we would be fools not to buy him

 

[Jev]

for this guys price we would be fools not to buy him

For what, 50-60 million? It's a gamble. This is a guy FC Copenhagen gave up on less than 18 months ago because they couldn't see the special talent. Jury's still out as to whether he's the real deal or just high on form and confidence.

 

[Donut]

We should probably wait at least another season before going in for him, but then we risk someone else snapping him up and we really do need a striker now… At 60 million he’s a big gamble though, could easily go like Jovic.

 

[roonster09]

I would say Lautaro is the wrong profile of player for us to target due to him not being comfortable at leading the line on his own hence he plays alongside another striker in a 352. It makes sense to target Hojlund due to his age and profile where he can play across the forward line and is physically well developed for a 20 year old.

I think another striker could well be bought alongside Hojlund but that striker will be someone who will be comfortable leading the line on his own imo. So players like Kane, Ramos, Osimhen from the more expensive list or Tammy Abraham from the tier below with the likes of Sesko and Ferguson as the developmental type signings.

Also it's important to sign a striker who won't just score goals but will also make the players around him more threatening by pressing, cutting off passing lanes, interchanging with team mates by working the channels and being a threat all across the front line. We can sign a striker who scores 25 goals a season or a striker who scores 15 goals a season, but if the team as a collective create and score more goals due to the 15 goal striker, then the 15 goal striker is superior to the 25 goals a season striker due to his all round game which will result in the team carrying more threats and scoring more goals. We don't want a 25 goals a season striker who will make us predictable.

Agreed about Lautaro part. For me first choice is players like Kane, Osimhen. If we can't sign them then a young player with high potential like Ferguson (not realistic at this moment) or Hojlund. There are few other young CFs too who are bit unknown but might be a good signing.

Would avoid players like Lautaro, he is better in 2 CF system, he is physically not strong, not quick enough and doesn't have the balance like Felix to glide past players (to compensate for lack of physicality)

 

[Telsim]

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Crazy market for strikers

Fee makes sense in the current market. Will depend a lot on how it's structured, of course. Shouldn't go higher than this, though.

 

[NinjaZombie]

We need to buy two strikers. We have only 1 reliable striker and that's Rashford, who is arguably more of a left sided forward.

Seems like he works hard, is quick, tall and strong. By most accounts a United fan, so no doubt he'd want to come. He's young and Ten Hag could improve and mould him to our requirements.

It's a no brainer transfer. Get this done quick and we can then concentrate on the other signings we need to make over the summer.

 

[CM]

I like him but he’s nothing more than a backup with potential atm. 60M for him would be waaaaay to much.

I'm not sure what you were expecting. It might be possible to get him slightly cheaper than that but as a ballpark it's probably about right - you're talking €40-50m minimum for most young players with potential and there's always a premium on strikers.

Last summer Darwin Nunez was sold for €75m rising to €100m. Isak also went for €70m when he was fairly unproven. This is the market we're operating in.

 

[Ahmer Baig]

My first post here after many years just reading. Hope you enjoy it.

I’ve followed Rasmus Højlund (yes, that’s how it is spelled in Danish) since he was around 15-16 years old.

The summary: He is the real deal (!), but still very raw.

Youth career: He is from the city Hørsholm where he played until the age of 11-12 and moved to Brøndby IF. He stayed there for around three years until he moved to the direct rival in FC Copenhagen. He scored 15 goals in 22 games for U19, and then got his debut for the first team at the age of 17. He was known as a very serious person, and already at the age of 12-13 he was serious about self-training and food etc.

Family: He comes from a football family. His father played one season in the Superliga (the best League in Denmark). He was also an attacker. Rasmus has two smaller brothers who are twins - both of them plays at FC Copenhagen. They are 18. Emil is also a striker and scored 6 goals in 13 matches this year in the strong U19-division. Oscar is a central midfielder and played 22 games and scored 7 in the U19-division. Both of them also highly rated

FC Copenhagen: He never really got a real chance. FC Copenhagen sold their big star Jonas Wind to Wolfsburg in the winter transfer window and was afraid of replacing him with an 18 year old. So they bought two old proven attackers. Højlund was quite upset with that and felt he should have given a fair chance. He played 32 games and scored 5 goals ( nearly 20 of the games was under 20 minutes of play time). He then switched to Sturm Graz.

Sturm Graz: He only played there for a half a season, where he was outstanding right from the beginning. He scored 12 goals in 21 games and 4 assists. In the 8 games he played in the 22/23 season, he scored 6 goals in 8 and 4 assists. It was here he quickly became known as the new Haaland.

Atalanta: He got a move to Atalanta and has played 33 games and scored 9 goals and made 4 assists. Atalantas formation varies a lot, so Højlund has played both as a single striker and with a second striker next to him. The coach, Gasperini, about Højlund: “Technical and in many other aspects, I have never seen a striker at the age of 20 that strong. And he still has room for improvement in the air, in the box and the last pass.” His xG90 is 0.46. His 8 goals in the league comes from xG of 9.04, so there is room for improvement of his coolness.

National team: He made a hat trick in his debut and has now scvored 5 goals in 4 games.

Style of play: The first thing you notice, is how fast and strong he is. In a test at Atalanta, he ran 100 meter in just 10,8! And even said afterwards, that in better condition he could have been even faster. As this is my first post, I am not allowed to post a video, but search Twitter for his game against Lazio, where four Lazio-players just looking at while he is running past them.

He is quite often compared to Haaland, and his style of plays is very much the same. He is left footed and with good finishing skills. He has great technique and is good with his body against the goal. His biggest problem, and I guess it is pretty common at his age, is his consistency. He is also a good press player, although he can develop that area even more.

United? Well, I think it is too soon for him to be the certain number one forward. He is of course way better than Weghorst. He will always be a handful for any defenders due to his enormous speed, so I can definitely see him getting a role next season - and also in the case we buy Kane.

You can never be 100 % sure, but I am willing to bet half my house, that this kid is going to make it. Can he become a striker who scores +20 goals in the league? Yes, without a doubt. He has every mental and psychical skills for doing that, but only time will tell.

Thank you for detailed insight on the player. Would love to have him at Man Utd.

 

[FrankWhite]

I reckon signing Hojlund means he's mostly likely going to replace the talented but troubled one. Maybe we can do a swap deal then bring in a more experienced striker as we need two.

Another alternative is go with both as our two, if the club decides to keep the troubled one.

 

[next_number_seven]

We need to buy two strikers. We have only 1 reliable striker and that's Rashford, who is arguably more of a left sided forward.

Seems like he works hard, is quick, tall and strong. By most accounts a United fan, so no doubt he'd want to come. He's young and Ten Hag could improve and mould him to our requirements.

It's a no brainer transfer. Get this done quick and we can then concentrate on the other signings we need to make over the summer.

If he's good enough, he's old enough.
It's possible we'll have Martial and Greenwood next season, so can rotate them.

 

[DJ_21]

Got a feeling this is the guy we’re gonna sign. Especially if Madrid are successful in signing Kane.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

 

[ROFLUTION]

The reality though surely is in those 2 years he will be bought by some other big team or his price will double/triple, which is what we always seem to wait to happen before we make an approach

The reality no one knows. He could be Bellotti too in two years.

 

[Bebestation]

I genuinely do wonder how much him having a similar name to Haaland has gotten him raised hype.

 

[friendlytramp]

Hojlund
Thuram
Toney

three strikers

 

[Waynne]

This guy's built like a brick shithouse and looks a right bastard for defenders.

Drogba regen?

It's exactly what we need.

 

[Waynne]

I genuinely do wonder how much him having a similar name to Haaland has gotten him raised hype.

Added another 10 million to the price tag for sure.

They have Haaland. We have Hojlund.

It's written in the stars.

 

[DJ_21]

This deal makes sense if it’s gonna cost no more then 60m. That’s cheap for an up and coming star who’s only 20. I’m pretty sure after a few years his price tag will double or even triple so this has got profit written all over it.

 

[DJ_21]

Hojlund
Thuram
Toney

three strikers

Pointless signing Toney. Can’t play till early next year so he’d miss halve a season.

 

[Thiagoal]

He really reminds me of Christian Vieri (particularly in those blue/black stripes) strength of an ox, powerful left foot, hard working and good instincts in the box. Just needs to develop his consistency in front of goal! If he can get to Vieri’s top level over the next few years then he’d be a great signing.

 

[AltiUn]

Fee makes sense in the current market. Will depend a lot on how it's structured, of course. Shouldn't go higher than this, though.

How does 60m for an 8 goal striker make sense in any market

 

[FrankDrebin]

Looks energetic, direct and is certainly up for the physical duels/battles but he doesn't look the most composed on the ball. Finishing looks abit wayward too.

Very much a rough and tumble, young dynamic forward who'll get the fanbase on his side with his energy and work-ethic.

For a back-up forward, I guess you can't ask for more.

 

[Lash]

How does 60m for an 8 goal striker make sense in any market

Sure if they were 24, but he's 20. You're paying for potential, that's how the market is.

 

[Telsim]

How does 60m for an 8 goal striker make sense in any market

A 30-year-old Kane with one year left on his contract costs nearly a €100M. A prime young striker like Osimhen is being quoted at €120M+. Nunez cost a €100M. Vlahovic €80M. Isak €70M. I remember Inter quoting €100M for Lautaro Martinez last summer. This is the market.

€60M including addons for a very young striker prospect like Hojlund seems fair enough. Not anymore though.

 

[fps]

He's been watching, he's been waiting, in the shadows, for his time.

Sign him up.

 

[AltiUn]

He's been watching, he's been waiting, in the shadows, for his time.

Sign him up.

Sounds like a Batman villain

 

[friendlytramp]

Pointless signing Toney. Can’t play till early next year so he’d miss halve a season.

Get Toney on the cheap and Thuram can help fill the gap (on a free) until Toney’s available.

 

[DJ_21]

Get Toney on the cheap and Thuram can help fill the gap (on a free) until Toney’s available.

That’s to smart for our club to do.

 

[DJ_21]

How does 60m for an 8 goal striker make sense in any market

Maybe because he’s 20. Lots of potential and his price will only rise as he gets older so if we signed him and he eventually moved on we’d probably make double what we payed for him for a change rather then all the loses we make on transfers.

 

[Abraxas]

Get Toney on the cheap and Thuram can help fill the gap (on a free) until Toney’s available.

Why would Toney be cheap? No reason to offer an insane discount because he's missing a few months of football. Toney would be expensive.

 

[FrankDrebin]

btw, how much did Isak go for last summer ?

 

[justsomebloke]

Why would Toney be cheap? No reason to offer an insane discount because he's missing a few months of football. Toney would be expensive.

Yep. I would assume well North of 50m. If you really want a diagnosed gambling addict on your team.

 

[cyberman]

Why would Toney be cheap? No reason to offer an insane discount because he's missing a few months of football. Toney would be expensive.

When he returns he’ll only have 18 months of his contract left. The rest of the season will be a bust for him so he’s essentially on the last 12 months of his contract already as an elite forward for Brentford

 

[Abraxas]

When he returns he’ll only have 18 months of his contract left. The rest of the season will be a bust for him so he’s essentially on the last 12 months of his contract already as an elite forward for Brentford

So what? They aren't just going to roll over because of that. The way people see these clubs like Brentford and Brighton is strange to me. Nothing about them says incompetent, quite the opposite their strategic direction is excellent, yet often things are proposed that makes them seem like they would be. E.g. panicking and selling Toney, a crown jewel cheap because a contract is a few years out, a totally normal occurrence. Or selling Ferguson then taking him back on loan to complete his development for the buyer, something I've seen suggested many times.

What they'll probably be doing is trying to create a silver lining out of this situation. They'll have a bit of moral leverage to say to Toney you've let us down, sign a bumper new deal. He may go for that, to rectify some of the damage he's done to the start of their season. So long as it suits him and there's an exit within it of course, it won't just be for charity, it will be to increase his wages too. I think that's the most likely thing that will happen, but either way Toney is going nowhere cheap because that would be stupid when they've got a whole year to work on the situation before they even have to contemplate a lower priced sale.

 

[roonster09]

So what? They aren't just going to roll over because of that. The way people see these clubs like Brentford and Brighton is strange to me. Nothing about them says incompetent, quite the opposite their strategic direction is excellent, yet often things are proposed that makes them seem like they would be. E.g. panicking and selling Toney, a crown jewel cheap because a contract is a few years out, a totally normal occurrence. Or selling Ferguson then taking him back on loan to complete his development for the buyer, something I've seen suggested many times.

What they'll probably be doing is trying to create a silver lining out of this situation. They'll have a bit of moral leverage to say to Toney you've let us down, sign a bumper new deal. He may go for that, to rectify some of the damage he's done to the start of their season. So long as it suits him and there's an exit within it of course, it won't just be for charity, it will be to increase his wages too. I think that's the most likely thing that will happen, but either way Toney is going nowhere cheap because that would be stupid when they've got a whole year to work on the situation before they even have to contemplate a lower priced sale.

Yeah, their management is elite level. They won't be bending backwards, if anything they will make other PL clubs look like idiots.

They won't sell any of their players for cheap.

 

[Scarlett Dracarys]

I like his name..Rasmus. he's been walking in the shadows.

 

[L1nk]

btw, how much did Isak go for last summer ?

Reportedly around 70mill though was 'undisclosed' officially, 44 goals in 132 games for Sociedad before that, age 23, dont believe he had anywhere near the amount of years left on his contract at Sociedad that Hojlund has on his at Atalanta but I could be wrong

 

[Trigg]

How does 60m for an 8 goal striker make sense in any market

Because you buying a player based on a projection obviously. When buying a young player you're not basing it on what he is currently is, but what he can become in the future.

 

[noelyman]

btw, how much did Isak go for last summer ?

Wikipedia says it was an undisclosed (but club record) fee but predicts around 70 million USD

 

[bosskeano]

Isak has been brilliant for Newcastle..

offer them 60m and pay it over two installments then it really isn't a major issue financially