Following his unveiling at Old Trafford ahead of the penultimate pre-season meeting with Lens for an initial fee of £64 Million, Rasmus Hojlund received the expected comparisons to Ballon d’Or contending Erling Haaland.
The English media – never one to shy from a Manchester United opportunity, saw fit to add unnecessary weight to the shoulders of a 20-year-old striker who had sealed his dream move to Old Trafford.
Fast forward to the present day, and the Dane has come to terms with life in England, setting records and earning an FA Cup winners medal for his efforts.
Despite an evident lack of opportunities, he ended his debut campaign with 18 goal contributions in 43 appearances.
While there is room for improvement, many continue to focus on a transfer fee instead of the undeniable progress and ability of a number nine who could lead the club for the next decade.
Overcoming a frustrating start
The Dane turned 21 on February 4th, and following a thoroughly frustrating start to life in the Premier League – hit the net 16 times and supplied two assists.
While his domestic touch took 15 appearances to score against Aston Villa in December, his work on the continent was instantaneous – supplying five goals in six Champions League outings.
Furthermore, following that breakthrough strike against Villa, he earned the record as the youngest player to ever net in six consecutive Premier League fixtures.
The hitman averaged 72 minutes played per 90, scoring ten and assisting two in 16 league fixtures from December 26th to the end of the campaign.
For clarity, Haaland supplied 13 goals and one assist during the same period. But mainstream media wouldn’t highlight that particular fact.
A clinical nature from an often frustrated figure
Despite making 30 Premier League appearances and lining out for 3096 minutes, the hitman often cut the impression of a frustrated figure when not utilised in the final third.
When factoring his output throughout the season, Hojlund attempted 38 efforts on goal – scoring ten with a conversion rate of 26%. That ranked him above the likes of Haaland (22%), Cole Palmer (20%) and Mo Salah (16%).
To elaborate further, only Alexander Isak (27%) had a higher conversion rate in the top ten Premier League scorers. However, all ten players were allowed ample opportunities.
| Haaland | Salah | Palmer | Isak |
| 121 | 114 | 109 | 78 |
In contrast, United’s number nine – certainly not by the tactical instructions of his manager – was starved by his wide players in the final phases.
He was not free from blame with naive movement, but you were regularly left scratching your head with the decision-making of his teammates.
| Garnacho | Rashford | Antony | Hojlund |
| 100 | 62 | 43 | 38 |
An appreciation of his link-up play
I have spoken with several respectable individuals who have questioned whether Hojlund was the correct profile to sign for this team.
At 21, we are witnessing a physical monster who craves a battle, with an endless pace to burn and an already discussed clinical nature.
That alone justifies the signature – regardless of the fee paid.
But, while I acknowledge the necessity to grow into the one-on-one battle, which would inevitably improve his first touch with back to goal, his inabilities here are often exaggerated.
He is a regular outlet to alleviate defensive pressure and is more than comfortable holding possession to spray passes wide. To solidify this, he ranked in the 97th percentile for long balls sent to either flank in the Premier League.
Furthermore, you only need to look at the goals-to-chances ratio of his wide teammates to gain clarity over his function in the build-up phases.
Alejandro Garnacho supplied seven goals from 100 shots in the Premier League. Rashford returned the same from 62 attempts, and Antony returned one goal from 43 efforts.
When introduced after 74 minutes of the FA Cup final, supporters – by and large – recognised the undeniable impact made with his running, physical duels and hold-up play for onrushing teammates.
Make no mistake: while there are areas for improvement, the Dane very much ticks the boxes for an Erik ten Hag number nine.
The necessity for time
I appreciate the transfer fee paid and the expectation that this ultimately brings. Furthermore, I am more than experienced with the media agendas driven towards Manchester United players.
But this is a young and energetic side with the likes of Mainoo (19), Garnacho (19), and Amad Diallo (21) all attempting to find their feet alongside a bizarrely out-of-sorts Marcus Rashford and a struggling multi-million signing in Antony.
Continuity takes time. The difficulties youth encounter in this team build blocks towards a successful side over the next decade.
It is imperative to recognise every factor before damning him and lamenting issues that are not his doing.
Hojlund is a unique talent with a tremendous career ahead of him. Enjoy his growth at the club of his dreams.
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