Rasmus Højlund | Signed for United

[Abraxas]

Nah not at all for me. Neither have the potential Hojlund has or are close to the perfect stylistic fit that Hojlund is. Kolo Muani plays more like a wide forward who plays centrally, but he doesn't play in a way where he is a focal point which is what we need. Ramos as well for me, haven't seen anything from him that shows he has the physical attributes to survive up top in the prem or the hold up play ability.

Agreed. I started off liking the look of Ramos. Good presence and shape to him for a 9 and his record is good. But I don't think he passes the eye test. Looks a bit cumbersome, needs to round out his ability on the ball. At the moment he's a Portuguese league poacher which doesn't bode that well for the intensity of PL football where you don't just get teed up every game against fodder. You can't add legs onto a player no matter how good a manager is.

I think we've got better raw attributes here. Maybe Ramos would have scored a few more next season but over the next 2-3 I think we have the better prospect.

 

[Red_toad]

Half the Caf moans for months about not signing a striker. We sign a striker and now it's lets all moan about the fee and the better player we 'could' have signed.

 

[avgp_1]

We are paying for potential here. Yeah he is not a young Rooney but a young Rooney would be worth 150m plus minimum right now.

He has got terrific attributes to reach the very top. Pace, strength, movement, technique, touch, the ability to go out wide and drag defenders

Where he lacks is the back to the goal stuff at the moment which is understandable as he is still learning the ropes against better defenders.

 

[HILLSIDE]

Welcome Rasmus!

 

[UDontMessWith24]

I’m not angry, I’m underwhelmed and concerned about Utd’s only 2 outfield signings this Summer.

When players are immediately divisive upon signing, you know there’s a strong element of risk with them.

I’ll be completely blunt - given where the squad is right now, I think blowing £120m on Mount and Højlund is fecking batshit and borderline idiotic, that’s what I honestly think.

Onana REALLY excites me and I think is a great transfer!

Makes you wonder why scouts waste their time pouring over hundreds of hours of film when they can just read the Caf where a bunch of nobodies watching YouTube highlight reels and a full match here and there can tell them if the player is good enough.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

It isn’t. Go through them - admittedly he would start for Brentford currently but I was giving them Toney.

I don’t wanna believe that he wouldn’t start for any other top 10 PL side.

I’m trying to get excited.

 

[Abraxas]

I don’t wanna believe that he wouldn’t start for any other top 10 PL side.

I’m trying to get excited.

This is you trying?

 

[Rhyme Animal]

Makes you wonder why scouts waste their time pouring over hundreds of hours of film when they can just read the Caf where a bunch of nobodies watching YouTube highlight reels and a full match here and there can tell them if the player is good enough.

Tbf I don’t think Utd’s scouts do that at all mate.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

This is you trying?

I am! I like his burst of pace, he’s decent with both feet, right? I don’t want to believe he wouldn’t start for any other top 10 PL side!

He’s a Utd player now so I want him to succeed.

I think the thing is on here, people view you as binary - so if you say, ‘ffs we should’ve got x player instead’, that gets read as ‘I hate Højlund’.

I honestly think a lot of the ‘negativity’ is actually perceived higher than it is projected.

 

[croadyman]

Reckons that top speed at 1.12 is quick enough

 

[El Jefe]

Bunch of crybabies moaning about posters who have reservations about this signing or any signing so far are embarrassing tbh.

Not everyone has to like everything we do. There's a difference between negativity and giving an honest opinion. If we signed Mbappe and posters were moaning then the moaning about the moaners would make sense. This signing is far from an obvious slam dunk.

Mount and Højlund are very polarising deals and I can see why some may not be in favour of both. I personally liked the Mount signing but there were those who didn't like it that I understood where they were coming from. Its on Mount to prove himself now. Its the same with Højlund, I can't imagine any fan wants him to fail but the criticism of this move has its merits.

I often get the feeling some posters ideal setting of this forum is an eco chamber of being Tp reds.

 

[Abraxas]

I am! I like his burst of pace, he’s decent with both feet, right? I don’t want to believe he wouldn’t start for any other top 10 PL side!

He’s a Utd player now so I want him to succeed.

I think the thing is on here, people view you as binary - so if you say, ‘ffs we should’ve got x player instead’, that gets read as ‘I hate Højlund’.

I honestly think a lot of the ‘negativity’ is actually perceived higher than it is projected.

We'll see won't we?

Whatever we think about the nature of the fee and whether we should have done this or that, we are going to have a 9 not called Wout Weghorst. That, for me, is cause for a fist pump.

 

[Doracle]

We'll see won't we?

Whatever we think about the nature of the fee and whether we should have done this or that, we are going to have a 9 not called Wout Weghorst. That, for me, is cause for a fist pump.

This is something on which I think the Caf will be able to 100% get behind.

 

[DatIrishFella]

Watching Pythagoras in Boots analysis has got very excited about this lad. Holjund, Mount, and Bruno wont give defenders a minute.

Now sell Fred and sign Amarabat.

 

[UDontMessWith24]

Tbf I don’t think Utd’s scouts do that at all mate.

What is that you think professional scouts, who by the way have forgotten more football than most of us will ever know, do with their time then?

 

[Red in STL]

Antony fits into the play style but that play style hasn't come to fruition and isn't even understood or discussed by many.

IMO Antony's contribution is very underrated, he of course needs to improve offensively but his defensive side is outstanding and is part of the reason why AWB has improved as well

 

[Tarrou]

Have they?

yes

 

[Giggs' right foot]

You are a bit dim aren't you. Goal comparison or not, Rooney was obviously a special case. That's something that goes without saying.

In age 16-21 Rooney is the best player I’ve ever seen. No doubt. I see very little Rooney in Højlund. Apparently that is needed to put out, despite me never even insinuating that Højlund is at Rooney’s level or resemble his style.

I however find it comical that posters like you and Cassidy put soooo mind numbingly much focus on his (lack of) goals relative to his fee - and then the moment someone dare to point to our history books of transfers where goals scored wasn’t impressive (by your measurements) yet we still broke transfer records and had massive success, you deliberately misrepresent the intentions and make it out like I compare Højlund to Rooney. I’m not.

But when you present transfer strategies like “9 league goals players shouldn’t cost this” you should expect to be handed examples where that strategy would’ve been the wrong approach, cause we wouldn’t have gotten Rooney or Law with it.

 

[bosnian_red]

Agreed. I started off liking the look of Ramos. Good presence and shape to him for a 9 and his record is good. But I don't think he passes the eye test. Looks a bit cumbersome, needs to round out his ability on the ball. At the moment he's a Portuguese league poacher which doesn't bode that well for the intensity of PL football where you don't just get teed up every game against fodder. You can't add legs onto a player no matter how good a manager is.

I think we've got better raw attributes here. Maybe Ramos would have scored a few more next season but over the next 2-3 I think we have the better prospect.

Yeah. Personally love what I've seen of Hojlund as a prospect, think his profile of player is the ideal fit for us and a very rare one in general. Big, fast, strong technique, bases his game off of being a focal point with his hold up play and pinning defenders but can also run the channels, has some very nice ball striking ability, defensive work rate... There is a ton to work with. If you are trying to build a lone CF and picking raw tools, he has them all.

He was always my #3 choice after Osimhen and Kane, and even then I had concerns about them that didn't really apply to Hojlund. Kane with his age, fee & wages being a huge risk for the impending cliff, injury history, lack of pace meaning we'd still rely on Rashford for a cutting edge, short termism when we are not ready for a title challenge yet anyway IMO. Minor concern with Osimhen being style, more of a run in behind striker but doesn't bring others into play much so it could just not mesh with Rashford, injury history, obscene cost, but he'd undoubtedly be a very good striker. Hojlund in a way is very well rounded and with his hold up play where I think he and Rashford could work well together but also he provides his own threat in behind with his pace so we aren't one dimensional towards that left wing. He's young but not that far off so I think he could make the step up in time when we need him to when as a team we are also ready to make the step up. Injury history clean, for now. Investing so much money is only worth it if you get a long term contribution out of him which we will from him.

So while immediate year or 2 might not be perfect, I have huge hopes long term for it and it absolutely wouldn't surprise me if we're looking back on this in a few years thinking we made a great choice going for him over even Osimhen or Kane, let alone the others.

 

[Redplane]

So much fighting in here. Can't we all just get along like Rasmus and Harry (Kane) will be able to?

 

[Adnan]

IMO Antony's contribution is very underrated, he of course needs to improve offensively but his defensive side is outstanding and is part of the reason why AWB has improved as well

Agreed.

And I think the potential is there to improve further once we develop the team to play further up the pitch. He's a player with excellent off the ball potential as well as having a high technical level where his ball retention and combination play should become more important once we commit more players into the attacking third.

And I think with the signings we've made thus far and with potentially someone like Amrabat also joining us, we should see Antony's on the ball potential a lot more.

 

[The Hilton]

I’m not angry, I’m underwhelmed and concerned about Utd’s only 2 outfield signings this Summer.

When players are immediately divisive upon signing, you know there’s a strong element of risk with them.

I’ll be completely blunt - given where the squad is right now, I think blowing £120m on Mount and Højlund is fecking batshit and borderline idiotic, that’s what I honestly think.

Onana REALLY excites me and I think is a great transfer!

This logic doesn't really hold up, as pretty much every signing we've made for a while has been divisive. Even Kane would have come with question marks over his cost, wages, age, etc.

Not that I disagree that there's a sizable amount of risk with this signing, but there's a big potential upside too.

Who would you have signed instead of Mount and Hojlund for the same money?

 

[Nicolarra90]

I was positive for 8 years and it got me nowhere, I now avoid looking at everything we do through red-tinted glasses.

What is this even supposed to mean . Where does posting on an internet forum should be taking you to?

 

[bosnian_red]

Agreed.

And I think the potential is there to improve further once we develop the team to play further up the pitch. He's a player with excellent off the ball potential as well as having a high technical level where his ball retention and combination play should become more important once we commit more players into the attacking third.

And I think with the signings we've made thus far and with potentially someone like Amrabat also joining us, we should see Antony's on the ball potential a lot more.

Antony is one where it's a clear good contribution, young and plenty of room to grow, we are better with him than without and was the right type of player, but the fee was so big that you're always a little annoyed at what he isn't doing. But that's part of the risk. Would much rather have that outcome from transfers though, as it's not really like they are flopping, just not quite hitting the heights you hoped, not an elite player, but still a good to very good one who would be hard to replace and get a better balance to the team.

 

[TsuWave]

Can't wait for his debut. Something about watching a young striker develop is extremely exciting. Been a while since we bought one that wasn't +25 (IIRC Lukaku was the last one)

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Let’s be clear here. Most of us “moaning” about the club having its pants pulled down (again) on a transfer fee will be very patient with the 20 year old prospect we’ve just signed.

The people who will not be patient are those who actually think this is a reasonable fee and expect Hojlund to live up to it immediately. We’ve already got posts about Eric needing to deliver ffs based off the back of signing a Cf who probably wouldn’t start for any other top 10 premier league club currently.

Let’s make it even clearer - that this is based on feck all. I find the hoopla over 10m pointless and will definitely give him time and patience as I have with Antony - obviously the talent has to be there. Our striking options are atrocious and hence in this case I do understand us extending our hand a bit further but hopefully the wages are gigantic because in the long run that can be harder to deal with.

 

[Red in STL]

Come on that’s harsh!

I think lots of rival fans seem to really rate him actually, which is always a good sign imo.

Well might sound harsh but probably accurate, City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton, Villa, Spurs, Brentford, Fulham + United is last seasons top 10 - take your pick at which he'd start at barring United

I don't know enough about him but come on, we're buying him, let's give him a chance

 

[Tony247]

Give him a chance.

And also, Antony could explode in his second season! It does happen.

Of course. Let's hope for the best.

 

[stepic]

Funny the talk about a young Rooney. Newsflash: there is no current young Rooney on the market

secondary point: those who don’t like the signing; which striker do you suggest? I’ll assume silence but am all ears

 

[Remember the geese]

Funny the talk about a young Rooney. Newsflash: there is no current young Rooney on the market

secondary point: those who don’t like the signing; which striker do you suggest? I’ll assume silence but am all ears

I like the signing. However, I would like us to push for Ferguson next summer.

 

[JB7]

yes

Such as

 

[Tony247]

I’m not angry, I’m underwhelmed and concerned about Utd’s only 2 outfield signings this Summer.

When players are immediately divisive upon signing, you know there’s a strong element of risk with them.

I’ll be completely blunt - given where the squad is right now, I think blowing £120m on Mount and Højlund is fecking batshit and borderline idiotic, that’s what I honestly think.

Onana REALLY excites me and I think is a great transfer!

My sentiments too. It is what it is now.

Onana will have a huge positive impact for sure.

 

[Tarrou]

Funny the talk about a young Rooney. Newsflash: there is no current young Rooney on the market

secondary point: those who don’t like the signing; which striker do you suggest? I’ll assume silence but am all ears

if you were following the discussion the only reason Rooney came up was someone said he only scored 9 goals in the season before we signed him

for some reason some are unable to comprehend a players name coming up without thinking it's a direct comparison (not referring to yourself)

 

[Tarrou]

Such as

why are you even asking this? christ alive, we've been a shambles compared to the other major clubs

we haven't managed a title race whilst our rivals are pissing the league

 

[croadyman]

I like the signing. However, I would like us to push for Ferguson next summer.

Maybe we will as Kane won't be on offer then

 

[BeltUp]

Funny the talk about a young Rooney. Newsflash: there is no current young Rooney on the market

secondary point: those who don’t like the signing; which striker do you suggest? I’ll assume silence but am all ears

Yep. He's the striker ETH wanted who was available. Kane isn't an option. If we walked away from the deal because it was too much, then what do we do?

 

[Tony247]

Stop making up random wages. He wants £575k per week. That coming from BBC.

It was worth it if true and his transfer was achievable. Was no punt, guaranteed 20 goals a season minimum. Should have invested Mount's money in him in that case. But I think most probably we hit the Levy wall of big No to PL rivals otherwise I don't believe United are that stupid not to go for him all out.

 

[JB7]

why are you even asking this? christ alive, we've been a shambles compared to the other major clubs

we haven't managed a title race whilst our rivals are pissing the league

Unless I’ve missed something major no other clubs have been in a title race in the past 10 days either.

 

[Remember the geese]

Maybe we will as Kane won't be on offer then

If Kane is available for free, then it's a no brainer. However, I always assume the worst. Ferguson and a right back upgrade is where I'd be looking. Hopefully Antony kicks on. If not, I'd like an upgrade there too, as well as a Maguire replacement.

 

[Nicolarra90]

Maybe because he couldn't win a duel to save his life in that clip? If anything the clip highlights one of the big issues he has.

Last season he scored 1 goal in 11 games against the European teams (top8) in the league, who's going to score against the tougher opponents for us?

Rashford, as he has done for the last 6 years or so.