Hojlund pounced in the 75th minute to seal a 2-1 victory at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Napoli had trailed the contest at half-time, but battled back to claim all three points. Hojlund made the most decisive contribution, as he once again found himself in the right place at the right time.
Ex-Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne was also involved in Napoli’s winner against Genoa, as he swung over the cross that caused chaos inside the penalty area. Nicola Leali pulled off a decent save to initially keep Napoli at bay, but was left helpless as Hojlund turned the rebound home from six yards out.
Hojlund enjoyed the perfect end to a memorable week, having also bagged a brace for Napoli in their Champions League win over Sporting. He is up to four goals for the season, through six appearances, having managed just 26 for United across the 95 games that he played for them.
Antonio Conte is delighted for the hard-working frontman, who is showing Premier League giants United – who have endured ongoing struggles in the final third of the field – what they are missing. Conte said: “He’s a 22-year-old who was on the sidelines at Manchester United. He has significant room for improvement; he needs to work because he has the potential to become a star, and he’s proving it.”
Hojlund’s cause at Old Trafford was hindered by the fact that United failed to create the kind of chances that he feeds off. Slow build-up play meant that he struggled to get involved and was not picked out as often as he could have been. He had, however, showcased his potential in Italy during a previous stint with Atalanta.
Now back in familiar surroundings, Hojlund said of rediscovering a lost spark: “I don’t think I’ve changed much. I’m just doing my job and working day by day to give my best and bring something to the team.”
He went on to tell Sky Sport Italia of helping Napoli to back-to-back wins in continental and domestic competition – with the resilience of Conte’s side shining through: “Winning twice in a week at the Maradona is huge. Maybe today wasn’t our best performance, but taking all three points was the most important thing.”
Hojlund linked up with Napoli on a season-long agreement. That deal does, however, include an obligation to buy – which is reportedly worth £38 million ($51m) – if the Partonopei qualify for the Champions League again.
It is expected that a purchase option will be taken up regardless, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano stating on his YouTube channel: “Apart from the obligation to buy, Napoli want to keep Rasmus Hojlund permanently. Napoli trust him and see him as part of their long-term project. The permanent transfer is almost guaranteed.”
If Hojlund can maintain his current standards, then it is easy to see why Napoli are so keen to bring him on board. They have enjoyed considerable success with former Premier League stars, with ex-United midfielder Scott McTominay becoming a title-winning MVP during his time in Naples.
Hojlund is looking to tread a similar path, unlocking full potential along the way, with United – who also parted with wingers Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho during the last transfer window – facing more uncomfortable questions of their recruitment business and why supposed flops at Old Trafford are able to thrive elsewhere.
Hojlund committed to a contract with the Red Devils through to 2029 when joining them in 2023, but there appears to be little chance of those terms being honoured – even with talk of managerial change continuing to do the rounds in Manchester as Ruben Amorim battles to keep his job.
