Rasmus Hojlund has come under fire from Italian media for his underwhelming pre-season performances with Napoli, following his permanent move from Manchester United.
Struggles Continue
The Danish forward joined Napoli on loan in September 2025 before making the move permanent this summer for around £38 million. He had moved to United from Atalanta in July 2023 for an initial £64m but struggled at Old Trafford, scoring 26 times in 95 appearances.
Hojlund scored 16 goals in his debut season in Italy but has made little impact in pre-season. He played his third summer friendly for Napoli on Wednesday evening, a 2-1 win over Spanish side Osasuna, but was largely anonymous.
Double Training Sessions
He has struggled all summer. In Napoli's first pre-season game against Arezzo, he played 45 minutes in a 3-1 loss but performed poorly. A 2-0 win against Carrarese followed, and while he scored, he was substituted in the second half.
The forward has undergone double training sessions to improve his form. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Hojlund has split his sessions between ball work with the team and an "extraordinary training session" dedicated to him, focusing on movement with his back to goal and attacking space behind defenders, along with shooting drills.
Media Criticism
Italian media have heavily criticized the ex-United star. Area Napoli asked "Where is the real Hojlund?" and declared he played poorly. They added: "Hojlund disappoints once again. The Danish striker is struggling to get into form. He was inconsistent against Osasuna, but his qualities are significant and his value cannot be questioned."
Gazzetta dello Sport were more diplomatic, writing: "Napoli is still a work in progress, but the 2-1 win over Osasuna is a confidence boost, as we wait for the transfer market to bring in the reinforcements needed to achieve great things. [Matteo] Politano is in form (a goal and a crossbar strike), while Hojlund is still far from his best."
Canale 8 journalist Paolo Del Genio also slammed Hojlund on the show 'Ne Parliamo da Castel di Sangro', saying: "We saw little in the offensive phase; Hojlund wasn't there. Maybe we were missing a link-up player, [Anotnio] Vergara, [Scott] McTominay, or [Kevin] De Bruyne, but [Michael] Folorunsho was there."
