Rasmus Hojlund confirms Napoli transfer after Ruben Amorim rejection
Rasmus Hojlund has confirmed he will leave Manchester United permanently for Napoli after claiming manager Ruben Amorim did not want him at Old Trafford.
The Danish international is expected to finalise a £38m transfer to the Serie A club following a successful loan spell.
United originally paid Atalanta £72m for the striker in 2023 under former boss Erik ten Hag.
Struggles and a historic low
The 22-year-old endured a difficult spell in English football, suffering a 21-game goal drought between December and March during his final season.
His lack of form coincided with a disastrous campaign for the Red Devils, who recorded their worst-ever Premier League finish of 15th place.
Following the arrival of Benjamin Sesko in Manchester, the forward was subsequently sent out on loan to Naples.
Finding form in Italy
Since returning to the Italian top flight, the former Atalanta prospect has rediscovered his goalscoring touch with 10 goals in 26 league appearances.
Speaking to Danish outlet TV2, he expressed relief at finding a supportive environment.
“I got what I wanted with my transfer,” the striker explained.
“I got a team that believes in me a lot. A club that believes in me a lot. A sporting director, a president and a coach who wants me.”
He added: “I was put in a bit of a box at the end in Manchester. I knew there wouldn’t be much football for me if it continued like this.”
Dealing with media scrutiny
The Copenhagen-born forward also addressed the intense criticism he faced in his homeland during his time in the Premier League.
“I was happy to play football in Manchester,” he said.
“I know that, especially in Denmark, a media image was formed that it was all just terrible, and that I played like a bag of nuts, but that’s not how I look at it.”
The attacker acknowledged the difficulty of ignoring online commentary in the modern game.
“It’s hard not to be on your phone. And if you are on your phone, you’re bound to see what’s being written about you in some way,” he noted.
Remaining grounded
Despite his recent resurgence in Italy, he insists he remains focused on personal improvement rather than media praise.
“Now it’s portrayed as if I’m back and just doing really well, but inside myself my thoughts are in a completely different place,” he concluded.
“I’m self-critical. I still want to be even better, more involved in the games and score more goals.”
