Hojlund, a 20-year-old Danish striker, made a notable move to Manchester United from Atalanta during the summer transfer window. His initial transfer fee amounted to £64 million, accompanied by a weekly salary of £84,000, a substantial investment in a player of his age.
Upon his arrival at Old Trafford, Hojlund had to overcome injury concerns, but he has since made a positive impact for United. In a Premier League appearance against Arsenal, where he came on as a substitute, his performance was rated 7 out of 10 by the Manchester Evening News. They also highlighted his exceptional quality in a disallowed goal.
In a start against Brighton and Hove Albion, The Sun was equally impressed, awarding Hojlund a Player Rating of 7 out of 10. They described his full debut as encouraging and noted that United fans were displeased when manager Erik ten Hag decided to substitute him.
Midweek action in the UEFA Champions League saw Hojlund contribute as a goalscorer against Bayern Munich, further solidifying his impact.
However, not everyone is just celebrating his success. Alan Shearer, former Newcastle United striker and BBC Sport pundit, expressed his admiration for Hojlund’s movement, energy, and enthusiasm. Yet, he also expressed concern about how the challenging circumstances surrounding Manchester United, both on and off the pitch, might affect the promising young striker.
Shearer shared his thoughts on Hojlund during an appearance on The Rest is Football podcast, saying, “I like his movement. I like his energy. I like his enthusiasm. There’s obviously much more to come from him. I hope he is allowed to show that. I hope he doesn’t get drowned under the pressure in terms of what’s happening at Manchester United.”