Napoli On The Verge Of Signing Man United’s Rasmus Hojlund

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 28: Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Manchester United and FK Bodo/Glimt at Old Trafford on November 28, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Will Napoli sign a striker before the close of the transfer window?

The Partenopei look set to mount another title challenge this season and also want to venture deep into the Champions League.

Their attempts to retain the title was hurt before the season even began with injury to striker Romelu Lukaku.

The Belgian limped out of Napoli’s pre-season game with Olympiakos with a thigh injury. The prediction was that the injury wasn’t going to be that severe, but later tests confirmed the two-time Scudetto winner faces at least three months out.

Considering the only other striker available is new signing Lorenzo Lucca and Giovanni Simeone was sold to Pisa, it leaves Conte needing another striker to combat the duels of domestic and European football.

Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has been heavily linked with a return to Serie A and a move to Napoli, but as of writing no deal has been concluded.

The Dane has Serie A experience, having played at Atalanta for a single season before signing for United in a massive $80m that at the time raised serious eyebrows.

Hojlund spent only a season at Bergamo, scoring only nine goals. The prevailing argument was that the move came too soon for him, that he needed another season or two in Serie A.

At United he’s often looked a fish out of water, overawed by the stature of the club and the weight of the price tag. The last element, of course, was out of his control, but his performances on the pitch have been lacklustre, a striker who doesn’t fit into Ruben Amorim’s vision of football.

Hojlund scored a paltry four goals last season for United, and as the club went on another spending spree this summer, signing Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo for well over $220m, the writing was on the wall for the Dane.

Napoli have seemingly come to the rescue for Hojlund in the aftermath of Lukaku’s injury. A deal seems to be nearing completion, with a loan of $7m plus an obligation to buy of $45m in a year’s time in order to spread the payment around.

Still only 21, Hojlund will be back on familiar turf, and the youngster will need to get his confidence back. Yet Hojlund only has to look at Scott McTominay and how Conte revitalised his career in Naples after years of being a United whipping boy by some sections of the fan base.

McTominay played a starring role in Napoli’s Scudetto win last season, scoring 12 goals, many of them crucial winners, and Hojlund will now be hoping Conte can repeat the trick for a second year running.

Should the former Atalanta striker join Napoli, it will take the club’s summer spending to over $150m, with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis arming Conte with the tools necessary to forge a deep run in the Champions League and also attempt to try and retain the title, something not even the mythical Diego Maradona could achieve during his seven years at the club.