Hojlund Opens Up About Career Struggles as He Breaks Silence on Napoli Move Following Man Utd Disappointment

Rasmus Højlund spoke candidly in his inaugural interview with new team Napoli following his transfer deadline day switch to the current Serie A titleholders from Manchester United.

The Danish striker initially joined Manchester United in 2023 after gaining recognition at Atalanta. Højlund found the net 10 times during his debut Premier League season, but faced significant challenges in his sophomore year, managing only four goals as the Red Devils endured a disappointing 15th-place finish. He contributed an extra six strikes in the Europa League during their journey to a second-place conclusion.

Consequently, Ruben Amorim sought to restructure his offensive lineup during the recent transfer period by acquiring Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško. Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford received instructions to seek alternative clubs, while Højlund reluctantly concluded that departing represented his optimal choice.

The Danish player arrived in Naples, linking up with Antonio Conte, Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay. Højlund will likely feature prominently while Romelu Lukaku rehabilitates from injury, though considering the Dane's current standing it's simple to overlook that he's merely 22 years of age. Assuming his temporary transfer becomes permanent through a Champions League qualification provision, he represents a future investment for Napoli.

During his inaugural club interview, Højlund discussed his return to Italian football.

"I arrive with much to demonstrate, I aim to showcase myself with Italy's premier team, and Napoli will perform exceptionally well. I consistently put in maximum effort, I prefer to say I want to exhaust myself on the field, to contribute everything for the squad, to find the net, assist, and battle for every opportunity," the forward expressed.

"I've been anticipating this chance, I'm extremely thankful and I'll deliver my utmost to help us capture silverware this season once more, and to honor the supporters and organization."

Højlund aspires to emulate his former, and once again current, colleague McTominay. The Scottish player experienced a professional revival under Conte's guidance. McTominay claimed the Serie A Most Valuable Player honor last campaign. He was also considered for the Ballon d'Or this year, marking his career debut—becoming the first Scottish candidate since Ally McCoist in 1987 to receive recognition for the prestigious award.