Rasmus Hojlund is a 'risk' warns Man Utd legend

Stuart Telford

• 23 Jul 2023 09:29 BST
• 3 min read

Signing Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta would be a 'risk' for Manchester United according to their former striker Louis Saha.

United are closing in on Hojlund's transfer having agreed terms with the Danish striker, with the club now working to meet Atalanta's €70 million asking price after a cash plus players bid was turned down.

The Red Devils have been missing a No.9 since Cristiano Ronaldo left the club under a cloud last winter, with last season's 30-goal top scorer Marcus Rashford doing his best work from the left wing.

READ: CONFIRMED: Atalanta braced for Hojlund offer from Man Utd

Harry Kane had been the club's top transfer target for the position, but Tottenham Hotspur have effectively priced Man Utd out of a deal for the England captain. Saha would have preferred Kane to Hojlund.

Saha would prefer Premier League experience

"A player with more experience in the Premier League would be better and I'd prefer it, but that's the situation," he told Paddy Power. "Manchester United need to decide what their real priority is, whether it’s someone that will have an instant impact, or someone for the future."

Hojlund scored nine goals and assisted four more in Serie A last season, but only 20 of his 32 games were starts, and he averaged a goal-involvement of one well inside every two matches he played.

READ: How Man Utd will line up with Onana and Mount

Hojlund has drawn stylistic comparisons with Manchester City goal-machine Erling Haaland due to his 6'3" frame, pace and Scandinavian heritage, and Saha thinks United's gamble might pay off.

"If you look at his record, he's not scored as many goals as he would've liked, but the style of play at Atalanta shows that he is capable of leading the line," he said. "He is very strong and has a great left foot.

"He is very mobile and provides a lot of space for the kind of wingers that Manchester United have. It's a very interesting move."