Oh to be Rasmus Hojlund. Manchester United’s quantity 9 can hardly purchase a objective today, with the struggling Dane failing to construct on a promising debut marketing campaign during which he completed because the membership’s main scorer in all competitions.
The 22-year-old had initially appeared to have revived his confidence previous to the worldwide break after successful a penalty and registering an help in opposition to Actual Sociedad within the Europa League, earlier than breaking his 21-game duck within the 3-0 win over Leicester Metropolis.
That was adopted by the ex-Atalanta starlet additionally netting for his nation in opposition to Portugal, albeit with Ruben Amorim then taking the choice to drop the £64m man to the bench for the journey to face Nottingham Forest final week.
Having subsequently been reinstated to the beginning lineup in opposition to Manchester Metropolis on the weekend, the 6 foot 4 speedster merely wilted as soon as once more, whereas notably registering simply two touches within the opposition half through the opening 45 minutes.
Such woes – which have seen Hojlund rating simply three Premier League objectives this season – have highlighted the necessity for an appropriate alternative, be it with the addition of a brand new signing, or purchase selling a younger expertise in-house.
How Man Utd can substitute Rasmus Hojlund
With the Crimson Devils in motion in opposition to Lyon on Thursday evening, Amorim might stick with Hojlund, contemplating his report within the competitors, with the £85k-per-week marksman having netted 5 occasions on the continent this season.
That stated, the Portuguese coach may additionally be inclined to reinstate Joshua Zirkzee by way of the center, regardless of the Dutchman’s typical position in a quantity ten berth, with the previous Bologna man a minimum of making an impression final outing after drawing a nice save from Ederson late on.
Like Hojlund, nevertheless, the £36.5m signing has solely scored three league objectives in 2024/25 – and simply six in complete throughout all fronts – with Amorim maybe ruing the truth that 17-year-old famous person, Chido Obi, is ineligible to characteristic in Europe, having been left off the membership’s Europe League ‘A’ listing.
That omission got here amid the idea that Obi – who signed from Arsenal final summer season – was not but prepared for senior involvement, albeit with the woes of Hojlund subsequently seeing him parachuted into the first-team ranks, having made 4 substitute appearances to this point.
Whereas the Danish teenager has appeared energetic in these temporary cameos – not least in opposition to Fulham within the FA Cup, during which he twice got here near scoring – he’s nonetheless ready to get off the mark beneath Amorim’s watch.
There’s undoubted hype surrounding a participant who notably scored seven occasions in United’s FA Youth Cup run, though Obi is not the one eye-catching striker that the Crimson Devils are at the moment brewing at Carrington.
Man Utd’s in-house Hojlund alternative
Obi – who holds the report for probably the most objectives scored at U18 Premier League stage – continues to excite these of a United persuasion, though he is not the one teenager centre-forward to have stolen the headlines of late.
In The Pipeline
Soccer FanCast’s Within the Pipeline collection goals to uncover the perfect youth gamers in world soccer.
Certainly, Adam Lawrence’s U18 facet notably romped to a shocking 13-1 victory over rivals Leeds United on the weekend, with 18-year-old, Victor Musa, bagging six objectives within the first half amid that devastating rout.
Captaining the facet on the day, the Spain-born England youth worldwide led the road fantastically after placing in a merely prolific exhibiting by way of the center, proving himself to be an actual handful for the visiting backline.
A towering left-footer – in an identical mould to Hojlund – Musa confirmed the total array of his ending prowess on the day, having chalked up a handful of finishes on the rebound, whereas frequently reducing in off the fitting flank to devastating impact.
The decide of the bunch was arguably {the teenager}’s fourth objective, as he labored his manner right into a central place from the fitting wing, earlier than curling dwelling a pleasant effort into the far nook, having additionally produced a shocking end into the roof of the online for his fifth of the sport. Even the striker’s sixth objective was a strike to get pleasure from, as he took the ball down expertly on his chest, earlier than lashing dwelling from shut vary.
Whereas hampered by damage final yr, Musa – as was evident in opposition to Leeds – has returned with a bang in latest occasions, having now scored 11 objectives in simply 14 video games within the U18 Premier League, whereas contributing an extra three assists.
First-team involvement might not have come his manner simply but, however after placing in such a press release efficiency, it will not be lengthy earlier than he merely proves too arduous to disregard for Amorim and his teaching employees.
With the ex-Sporting CP boss already selling the likes of Obi and Harry Amass in latest months, why not throw one other rising star into the combination?
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