Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri has challenged former Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund to score 20 goals this season following his permanent transfer to the Serie A club. Michael Carrick's side received £38m for the Dane, who turned his loan move to Gli Azzurri into a permanent deal after his spell last season.
Hojlund's Serie A record and Allegri's admiration
Hojlund scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 33 Serie A appearances last season under Antonio Conte, but the new boss wants more from the 23-year-old. Allegri is a long-time admirer of the former United forward and attempted to sign him during his recent tenure at AC Milan.
Instead, the Dane moved to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, where he reunited with former United teammate Scott McTominay. The former Reds duo could not retain the Serie A title, finishing 11 points behind Inter.
Target he never hit at Old Trafford
According to Gazzetta, Allegri has set Hojlund the target of 20 goals this season, a feat he was unable to achieve during his time at Old Trafford. In his first season with United, he scored 16 goals in all competitions. He followed that with ten goals in 52 appearances in the 2024-25 campaign, but only four of those came in the Premier League.
Combining the loan fee paid to United last season with this summer's transfer fee and add-ons, Hojlund became Napoli's most expensive forward in the club's history, surpassing the transfer fees of Victor Osimhen, Hirving Lozano and Gonzalo Higuain.
Allegri's outlook for the season
Looking ahead to the campaign, Allegri said: "The start of a season always excites me, especially in a passionate and important city like Naples. We've got a real challenge tomorrow us against an opponent who are strong both physically and technically. We'll need to put in a solid and top-level performance."
He added: "I believe that I've got an excellent squad at my disposal which I've inherited from a great coach, Antonio Conte. He did a top job here. This makes me optimistic, as does the willingness the lads have shown me since I walked in the building."
Allegri continued: "What you'll get from me is great professionalism and plenty of enthusiasm. I'm coaching a team that's done really well in seasons gone by. Leading a squad of this calibre is a significant responsibility for me, but also a huge source of motivation."
He concluded: "I reckon we're set for an exciting and balanced Serie A season. Inter are the defending champions, so they'll start with an advantage, but there are at least eight well-equipped sides who are capable of competing for the top spots. It's a whole new footballing landscape, so we need to stick together and work in the best possible way to stay competitive across all of the three competitions that we're involved in."
