Rasmus Hojlund is potentially hours away from no longer being a Manchester United player. The striker’s sale to Napoli will be confirmed as soon as Napoli secure their place in next season’s Champions League.
United included a £38million conditional obligation to buy the Denmark international as part of the agreement that took him to Naples last summer. The terms of the deal mean the reigning Serie A champions will be obliged to sign Hojlund permanently should they qualify for the Champions League.
Napoli currently occupy second place in Serie A. They are guaranteed at least Europa League football next term.
However, they could yet slip to sixth, with just five points separating them from Como. Champions League qualification appeared all but certain following their victory over Milan in early April, which extended their winning run to five consecutive matches.
Yet they have managed just one win from their last five outings, suffering home defeats to both Bologna and Lazio. Napoli travel to already-relegated Pisa on Sunday evening in their next fixture.
All clubs from second to sixth place kick off simultaneously this weekend. Como host Parma, who drew 1-1 with the champions, triggered this potentially damaging recent dip in form. Milan travel to Genoa, Roma take on Lazio in the Derby della Capitale, while Juventus welcome rivals Fiorentina.
View 2 ImagesRasmus Hojlund’s Napoli could face Manchester United in the Champions League next season(Image: NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A Napoli victory would be enough to secure Champions League football, as the champions hold a superior head-to-head record against Roma. They triumphed 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in late November and secured a 2-2 draw at home earlier this year following an 82nd-minute equaliser.
Como would also be unable to overtake them, irrespective of their own result. Antonio Conte’s side would therefore finish no lower than fourth, and the club would complete United’s second summer transfer alongside Casemiro’s exit, as the Brazil international has confirmed he will depart Old Trafford when his contract expires
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Much like his former colleague, the Dane is enjoying a productive season, topping Napoli’s scoring charts with 14 goals across all competitions. The striker has recently endured a barren spell across their last six fixtures. However, he did provide assists for their equalisers against Bologna — before Jonathan Rowe netted a 91st-minute winner — and Parma.
The club made their position on acquiring Hojlund clear earlier this month. Sporting director Giovanni Manna reiterated their faith in him, saying: “There are no doubts, Rasmus will stay here. We have an obligation to buy from Manchester United, in case of Champions League access, but he is in our plans regardless of this condition.”
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Conte has also defended Hojlund against recent criticism regarding a shortage of goals, stating: “Let’s not forget that he’s the only striker we have in the squad, and he’s the only one playing; he should have had the chance to rest and come on during the match.He has a lot of energy and is a player with excellent qualities. He’s 23 years old and has significant room for improvement; you can’t say anything [bad] about him; he plays for the team.”
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