Manchester United recently ended their long search for a striker by signing Danish international Rasmus Hojlund last month.
Both Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes are optimistic about the potential success of striker Rasmus Hojlund at Manchester United.
The 20-year-old, who made his Champions League debut for United in their match against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening, joined the club from Atalanta last month. The Reds secured his services with a deal worth £72 million, agreeing with the Italian outfit.
Hojlund made the move to Atalanta from Austrian side Sturm Graz in August 2022, enjoying a reasonably successful single season in Italy, contributing 10 goals and four assists in various competitions. However, he has yet to establish himself as a consistent goal scorer capable of netting 20 or 30 goals per season.
Nevertheless, Hojlund possesses a diverse set of qualities, including speed and athleticism, which could prove valuable to United. According to Ferdinand, the young striker exhibits attributes that would be highly coveted by coaches and managers.
“Manchester United is in need of a goal scorer,” Ferdinand expressed to TNT Sports. “But as Scholesy [Scholes] mentioned earlier, his track record doesn’t suggest he scores a plethora of goals. I believe he is a project, someone you want to nurture and develop.
“He possesses qualities that, if you’re a coach or manager, make you think, ‘You know what, I’d love to work with those attributes.’ He has an impressive physique, speed, aggression, and strength, and from what I’ve heard, he’s eager to learn.
“He possesses all the attributes you’d desire. He can surge from the halfway line and brush defenders aside.”
Hojlund garnered attention for his speed and ability to stretch opposition defenses during his time in Italy. He also received praise for his sprint speed over a 100-meter distance.
Scholes chimed in, saying, “Running 100 meters in under 11 seconds is a strength, and as a center forward, it’s essential. When he reaches that position, can he control the ball and finish? That will be crucial.
“Watching him play, I was impressed when he came on against Arsenal. It seemed like, for the first time in a while, we had a player willing to use his body.
“He’s a young player and a physically robust one. He wasn’t afraid to challenge defenders and use his physicality. Additionally, he’s fast.
“It may take some time, and we must exercise patience. At this point, his goal-scoring record isn’t stellar, but he’s now joining a prominent club with a stronger team and better players. That could lead to improvement. I hope it does.”