Rasmus Hojlund insists he wants to stay and fight for his place at Manchester United, despite the club’s active search for a new striker. The Danish international scored in a 4-1 pre-season win over Bournemouth, but manager Ruben Amorim refused to offer assurances over his long-term future at Old Trafford.
Hojlund has struggled since his £72 million move from Atalanta two years ago, scoring 14 times in 62 Premier League appearances. After a season in which United managed just 44 league goals and finished 15th, the club are reportedly targeting either Benjamin Sesko or Ollie Watkins to bolster their attack. ‘The most important thing for me is to keep working hard and stay focused,” Hojlund said. “My plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot.’
Amorim admitted the club’s goal-scoring issues last season were a concern, but praised Hojlund’s contribution. ‘I’m really happy with Rasmus, but I don’t know what is going to happen until the end of the market,’ he said. ‘The important thing is that he is scoring goals. He’s connecting well with the team.’ United have also been linked with Liam Delap and Hugo Ekitike, but those moves have not materialised.
In the match in Chicago, Hojlund opened the scoring after seven minutes, with further goals from Patrick Dorgu, Amad Diallo and Ethan Williams. Bournemouth’s consolation came from a Matthijs de Ligt own goal. De Ligt replaced Harry Maguire at half-time, with Amorim explaining the defender is being managed carefully after a holiday interruption to his training.
Left-back Dorgu, a £25 million signing from Lecce in February, impressed with an assist and a goal. ‘He looks more and more like he belongs at Manchester United,’ said Amorim. ‘I’m really impressed with Patrick.’ The manager also celebrated Williams’s goal, emphasising the value of youth development during pre-season. ‘We look like a different team today,’ he added, though cautioning that the pressure of the regular season will be far greater.
