Rasmus Hojlund’s fight to answer Man Utd’s striker question
Against Leeds in Sweden, 18-year-old Chido Obi started. But the former Arsenal youngster currently appears to be an impact player.
Hojlund took over for the second half. As usual, he worked hard enough, didn’t receive the service a centre-forward would want and did his best for the team.
But, as usual, he didn’t score. He has scored 26 goals in 95 competitive appearances over two years at United – just over a goal every four games.
The numbers are not terrible. But they include a run of five goals in four games last season and eight in eight the campaign before. Statistics can be manipulated to suit any argument – but if those two sequences are taken out, what is left is 13 goals in 83 appearances, or more than six games for every goal. That is clearly not good enough.
The question is whether Hojlund can extend the more productive spells or if they are distorting the overall picture.
On Friday, Amorim gave the impression he has not given up on the 22-year-old, who cost United £72m when they bought him from Serie A outfit Atalanta in 2023.
In his opening media engagement of the summer in Chicago, United’s head coach made a couple of significant points.
Firstly, he insisted he would be happy to go into the new season with his current squad. In truth, he couldn’t say anything else given there are no guarantees of further signings.
Secondly, he confirmed his belief that his attacking reinforcements, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, could both operate as a spearhead in addition to the number 10 roles they appear best suited to.
But it was towards the end of a long unrelated answer, in connection to captain Bruno Fernandes, that Amorim might have given an indication about his thinking.
The coach wants Fernandes to operate deeper, away from those two prized number 10 spots. He thinks the Portuguese can cause more damage that way because he won’t be marked as tightly.
“If you have the threat of players; of Rasmus, Matheus and Brian, in the space and a player with Bruno’s quality on the ball, it’s really important,” he said.
Events can change course quickly at Old Trafford but at the very least, the namecheck suggested Hojlund is likely to get some time on the pitch with Cunha, Mbeumo and Fernandes at the MetLife and beyond.
And if he finds a spark across a trio of pre-season fixtures against West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton over the next nine days, it may cause United’s hierarchy to pause and think.
To a greater or lesser degree, the search for a striker has been a feature of their summer.
Can Hojlund prove he is the answer after all?