Man Utd get proof Hojlund is reaching levels of Mbappe and Haaland

Robin Bairner

• 13 Feb 2024 04:39 CST
• 4 min read

Manchester United’s decision to move for Rasmus Hojlund in the summer has been vindicated by the interest that is starting to come for the striker.

Reports from Spain indicate that Real Madrid are looking at Hojlund, 21, as a contingency option should their plan to sign Kylian Mbappe from PSG fail.

Los Blancos are seeking a Galactico signing in attack this summer, with Mbappe considered to be their top target given he could potentially be available on a free transfer. Although a deal looked likely a matter of days ago, the latest reports indicate that the deal is in jeopardy, with Mbappe’s mother potentially derailing contract talks.

Real Madrid are also lining up a spectacular swoop for Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, who is said to have a release clause that makes him a viable target for the Bernabeu club.

If these deals fall through, though, Defensa Central indicates that Carlo Ancelotti’s side have Hojlund as the next man on their shortlist.

This is concrete proof that the Denmark star’s trajectory is heading ever upward and that he is becoming considered a player who is already at the very top of the game.

Hojlund not for sale

Hojlund made a slow start to life at Man Utd but after five goals and two assists in his last five Premier League outings for the Red Devils, he is starting to show the type of form that saw the Old Trafford side splash out €74 million to Atalanta on him during the summer.

Under contract until 2028, Man Utd have full control over his future, and should he continue the type of form that he has shown in recent weeks, there is simply no prospect of the Premier League side, who are short of No.9 options, offloading him.

Equally, Defensa Central points out that Hojlund would need to continue his current level to be considered by Real Madrid as a viable alternative to Mbappe or Haaland.

Imagine the outcry if Hojlund - a player with obviously massive potential – were to score another 10 Premier League goals this season and, just as he is hitting his peak, he is sold.

Madrid’s interest may be genuine, but the possibility that they can sign him is not.

The 21-year-old is proving to be value for money for Man Utd. His Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) ranges up to €76.2m, which is more than the fee the Old Trafford club paid for him. Given his current level, this figure is set to jump significantly, too.

Madrid have more chance of landing Mbappe, who can decide his own future, or Haaland, who reportedly has a release fee that can be triggered, than Hojlund, who is giving himself every chance of becoming Man Utd’s goal-scoring talisman for years to come.