At 6ft 3in, Rasmus Høylund offers physical presence up front. Photo: Manchester United/Ash Donelon. Trafford received a rapturous welcome on Saturday, but Manchester United's £72m new striker will miss the first few weeks of the new season with an injury.
20-year-old Højlund appeared before fans ahead of the club's pre-season friendly with » Lance after completing a £64m transfer from Atalanta with an additional £8m.
Erik ten Hag says Hoylund is the striker United have been waiting for, but the manager has to be away from Denmark for the opening home game against Wolverhampton on Monday of the week and it remains to be seen how much he will play before the September international break.
Høylund, who signed a five-year deal with an option for another year, ran into a bit of a problem during pre-season with Atalanta, but while he has been taking part in training and is said to be making a good recovery, United expect it to take several time. weeks before he reaches fitness and adamant they won't rush him given his importance to their plans.
United who came from behind to beat Lens by a score 3-1 after goalkeeper Andre Onana was thrown in from 50 yards on his Old Trafford debut by Diogo Dalot's error, due to face Tottenham Hotspur on 19 August and Nottingham Forest a week later. Arsenal, September 3, in the final before the international break.
Rasmus Hoylund went to Old Trafford ahead of Manchester United&# 39; friends with Lens. Photo: Action Images/Jason Cairnduff
It's no secret that I've been a fan of this great club since I was a kid and dreamed of going to Old Trafford dressed as a Man. United player,” Hoylund said.
“I am incredibly excited about this opportunity to make this dream a reality and I am determined to repay the trust the club has shown in me. My career is just getting started, but I know I'm ready to take that step forward and play with this group of world-class players.
“After talking to the manager, I realized that this environment is perfect for my development; I enjoy the opportunity to work with one of the best coaches in the world. Under his guidance and support, I know that I can achieve great things together with my new teammates at this very special club.”
Ten Hag says Hoylund has 'great potential' and that 'the whole team has been waiting for a guy like him' after United turned down Harry Kane to go after the Dane. «He's really a frontman, very straight forward,» Ten Hag said. “Very good pressing, physical presence, and I think we needed the balance of this team. Along with [Marcus] Rashford, [he] is another player who is straightforward and can score goals, and that's all he thinks — he wants to score goals.»
Telegraph Sport analysis Why United stopped pursuing Harry Kane for Hoylund < p>Ten Haeg viewed many videos of Hoylund and often received detailed intelligence reports on the attacker. More recently, United sent scouts to watch Høylund play for Denmark against Northern Ireland in Copenhagen in June.
The United manager also made several video calls with Høylund before settling on the 20-year-old as their preferred target after the club turned down Kane's offer and is said to have been particularly struck by the player's personality and ambition. p>
Hoylund is believed to have left Ten Hag in no doubt that he wants to establish himself as one of the best strikers in the world and is fully committed to making this happen.
Ten Hag is also convinced that Hoylund has has the character and temperament to handle the pressure of playing for United and believes that the physique, speed, energy, hunger and ability of this 6'3 striker is perfect for the Premier League. /p>
However, United took the big gamble by investing so much money in an inexperienced young striker rather than going after a proven scorer like Kane.
Høylund made fewer than 90 appearances for the senior club for Copenhagen, Sturm Graz and Atalanta and scored just nine goals for the Italian club in Serie A last season. Just 19 months ago, he was transferred to Graz from Copenhagen for €1.8m (£1.6m).
A number of big players who have joined United over the past few years have struggled to justify their price tags, including £80m defender Harry Maguire and £73m striker Jadon Sancho, but Ten Hag is known to believe that Hoylund has all the qualities to not only handle scrutiny and expectations, but thrive under them.
Hoylund seems to , excited about the prospect of working with Ten WitchCredit: Getty Images
Ten Hag is believed to agree that Hoylund may need some time to settle in England and that the signing is not without risks, but it is the right move. Rushford is likely to get a few strikeouts as a centre-forward, especially with Hoylund currently unavailable and the manager experimenting with Sancho as a false nine in preseason.
Ten Hag would have been happy to bring Kane to Old Trafford, but a number of factors ultimately dissuaded United from joining Bayern Munich for the England captaincy. the protracted standoff with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and the risk that a deal is still not done.
£100m plus Kane's valuation — and the total cost of the wage deal — is also considered a hurdle, though difficult believing that United couldn't cough up the extra £30-40m it would take to sign a striker to replace Hoylund through further sales.
Kane is one of the few elite strikers who guarantee goals , scoring 275 goals in his last 409 appearances for Spurs, plus 58 goals in 84 games for England.
At 30, however, he was also in the age bracket for United usually unfocused as Ten Hag seeks a lower age profile with real growth potential, although few signings could bring the kind of immediate lift that Kane would likely offer.
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