Rasmus Hojlund Agrees Permanent Move to Napoli

Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund is reportedly set to join Napoli on an initial loan with a view to a permanent move. Despite publicly stating his desire to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, Hojlund's situation changed following the arrival of Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig. The Danish striker was left out of matchday squads, prompting him to seek an exit.

Hojlund made it clear that he was not interested in a simple loan deal, and Napoli, who lost Romelu Lukaku to injury, expressed a willingness to negotiate a permanent transfer. Reports indicate that Manchester United accepted a bid from Napoli, which includes a €6 million (£5.2 million) loan fee and an additional €44 million for the permanent transfer. The deal will become mandatory if Napoli qualifies for the 2026-27 Champions League, but the club retains the option to make it permanent at the same price even if they fail to do so.

All parties involved have now agreed to the terms, and Hojlund is expected to travel to Italy for a medical examination before finalizing his contract. This move marks a return to Serie A for the Danish international, where he previously showed significant promise during his time at Atalanta. His 10 goals in 34 appearances for Atalanta convinced Manchester United to invest £72 million in him in 2023. However, Hojlund struggled to replicate that form in England, scoring 26 goals in 95 appearances for the Red Devils before falling behind Šeško in the pecking order.

This transfer signals the end of Hojlund's stint at Manchester United and a fresh start under Antonio Conte at Napoli, where he will aim to rediscover his form.