Manchester United returned to winning ways in the Premier League on Sunday against Leicester City.
Rasmus Hojlund ended his 21-game goal drought by opening the scoring. Alejandro Garnacho scored for the first time in 25 appearances for the Red Devils.
Bruno Fernandes provided the assist for both goals. He capped his performance with a wonderful strike.
Gazzetta dello Sport claims Napoli want to sign a new striker this summer, and Hojlund is one of the top names on manager Antonio Conte’s wishlist.
The Dane ‘would gladly’ return to Italy. United signed him for £63 million. They plan to request £51m to avoid a loss in their financial books.
The price tag could be a deal-breaker for Serie A clubs, but Napoli have held ‘first exploratory talks’ and consider Hojlund a competitor to Romelu Lukaku next term.
Hojlund speculation could be agent-driven
The Denmark international has had a challenging second year with the Red Devils. He has netted eight goals in 39 outings, but only three have come in the league.
Hojlund ended a lengthy scoreless run against the Foxes. Speaking after the game, the 22-year-old acknowledged that he is not a finished article and aims to improve.
In less than 48 hours, there is speculation that he would gladly return to Serie A. The transfer story appears agent-driven. He is trying to gauge interest from Italy.
Napoli failed to sign Garnacho from United last winter. It would be no surprise if they have already spoken with Hojlund’s entourage over a possible summer deal.
However, the Red Devils are unlikely to cash in on the former Atalanta star unless they recruit a marquee striker such as Viktor Gyokeres or Victor Osimhen.
Hojlund could then contemplate an exit as he would be restricted to cameo roles. The striker’s agent could be preparing for such a scenario during the next transfer window.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com.
