The deal has dragged on for the past two weeks as Rasmus Hojlund has been looking for teams to buy them off on a loan deal. The Danish striker wants his destination to have a specific, decent future, instead of just a short loan deal for 1 year.
Hojlund arrived at Old Trafford with great expectations, but in the context of a strongly renewed attack with the appearance of Sesko, Cunha and Mbeumo, along with the pressure to demand immediate performance, his starting position was considered no longer available.
On Napoli's side, Romelu Lukaku's injury forced the team to rush to find a quality replacement. Rasmus Hojlund is young, quite suitable for direct attack play to become a real target. negotiations between the two clubs are taking place positively, with the loan option with a mandatory purchase clause for next summer being mentioned the most.
The financial and human resources side are also important factors. Man United used to spend big to bring Hojlund back but are now willing to accept losses if that helps cut salary funds, balance the budget and clear the way for Amorim to restructure the squad.
On the other hand, Napoli hopes to take advantage of Hojlund's form and potential but does not have to commit to paying a large sum of money immediately. This is a borrowed and bought model suitable for both sides if accompanied by conditions on the number of matches, goals or team achievements.
In terms of expertise, Hojlund has qualities that make Antonio Conte pay attention such as speed, the ability to press, fight in the air and read the heart into the penalty area. However, to become an effective alternative to a team that requires stability like Napoli, who have just won the Serie A and are about to enter continental goals, Hojlund needs to adapt quickly to tactics, card running and even competitive pressure at Diego Maradona's home ground.
The reaction from Old Trafford and fans was quite diverse. Some are concerned that selling or lending Hojlund could reflect mistakes in the transfer policy when signing a young player at a high price and then losing the opportunity to develop at the club early.
However, there are also opinions that this is a practical decision when the tactical system has changed and the performance is too low, so parting ways is the right thing to do. In fact, Hojlund scored just four goals in 32 Premier League games last season for Man United. Leaving Hojlund elsewhere to start regularly would be better for both the player and the club in the long run.
In terms of timing, sources said the deal could be finalized in the next 1-2 days when the two clubs finalize detailed terms. If Hojlund leaves on loan and is forced to buy, this will be one of the notable deals of the 2025 summer transfer window before it closes.
This will give Man United an additional fee to invest in positions such as midfielder or goalkeeper at the end of August. Currently, the "Red Devils" are speeding up the deal to bring goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp. In addition, it is likely that the Old Trafford team will also recruit a midfielder after signs of instability in the midfield in the first 2 matches of the season.
Although there are still some unfinished details, the general picture is quite clear when Rasmus Hojlund is likely to leave Old Trafford to join Napoli on a temporary formula but designed to become permanent. All three sides have a reasonable motivation to complete the deal.
