Rasmus Hojlund’s Future at Manchester United in Doubt Amid Sesko Pursuit

Manchester United may be ready to part ways with Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund, despite his recent brace against Bournemouth in a pre-season fixture in Chicago. Reports suggest the club could offload the 21-year-old forward for £30 million—well below his current book value of £43 million, a consequence of amortizing the £72 million they paid to Atalanta just two summers ago.

While Hojlund remains adamant about staying at Old Trafford—expressing as much directly to journalists after the Bournemouth match—the club’s pursuit of RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko signals a shift in strategy. United are not alone in chasing the Slovenian forward, as Newcastle also show interest. Yet it’s widely believed that Sesko prefers a move to Manchester, possibly giving United the upper hand.

Still, United’s summer activity raises questions. They’ve already spent nearly £130 million acquiring Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha—both more naturally suited to supporting roles rather than leading the line. Their earlier interest in Liam Delap, now at Chelsea, further illustrates the club’s lingering concern over their central striker position.

Hojlund endured a difficult first season in the Premier League, scoring just four league goals. Those goals came from chances worth only 5.2 expected goals, suggesting not only a lack of clinical finishing but also a scarcity of service. His backup, Joshua Zirkzee, found the net just three times, highlighting a systemic attacking problem at United.

BBC analyst Chris Sutton offered a balanced perspective: “Has he had enough chances? No. But has he taken the few he got? Also no. He wasn’t prolific in Italy either, so there’s a valid question about whether he ever will be.”

United’s recruitment under Erik ten Hag took a bold turn when they approved Hojlund’s transfer. Ten Hag had spoken about the striker’s “huge potential,” but the early returns haven’t validated the investment. With the club under pressure to comply with Premier League financial sustainability rules, selling players like Hojlund could fund the pursuit of someone like Sesko.

Adding a twist to the summer narrative, United have already allowed academy talent Alvaro Carreras to depart for Real Madrid. Many within the club believed he had top-level potential, but doubts about his pace led to his sale—raising concerns about whether the club might prematurely give up on Hojlund too.

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