Kevin De Bruyne Drops Bombshell Comparison Between Rasmus Hojlund and Erling Haaland

Kevin De Bruyne has stated that his new Napoli colleague Rasmus Højlund shares striking resemblances with Erling Haaland, who flourished playing with the Belgian maestro during their time together at Manchester City.

Højlund found himself pushed out of Manchester United during the summer transfer window, despite his willingness to stay at Old Trafford and compete for his place in the starting eleven. Napoli capitalized on United's urgency, securing a loan agreement with an optional purchase clause for the 22-year-old Danish striker worth €44 million (£38.3 million, $51.6 million) on transfer deadline day. The move has already shown signs of being a shrewd piece of business.

It took fewer than 15 minutes for Højlund to find the net on his Serie A debut for Napoli—a stark contrast to the 1,027 minutes he needed to open his Premier League account at Manchester United.

While there have been echoes of his challenging period at Old Trafford in recent weeks, Højlund delivered an impressive double in Napoli's 2–1 Champions League triumph over Sporting CP on Wednesday evening.

De Bruyne was the architect behind both strikes, delivering a precise cross for a powerful header in the 79th minute after releasing Højlund on a swift counter-attack in the opening period. "I was looking to find that pocket of space for the opening goal and waited for the perfect opportunity to release the ball to Rasmus, fortunately he finished the job," the former Manchester City playmaker noted. "I believe Rasmus is developing tremendously and shares many qualities with Haaland."

When asked to elaborate on this intriguing comparison, De Bruyne clarified: "I believe they share similar traits because both enjoy running in behind the defense. Perhaps Højlund drops deeper to collect the ball more often, but I think he must exploit the space behind because he possesses the ability to score and provide us with a significant advantage."

"Rasmus possesses tremendous ability and as a forward when you make those runs you need that instinct for goals—it's crucial for both him and the squad," De Bruyne expressed enthusiastically.

Højlund was visibly ecstatic following the match. On his social media platforms, the jubilant goalscorer wrote: "'Højlund nets twice in the Champions League following two assists from Kevin de Bruyne' definitely wasn't on my 2025 predictions list."

How Rasmus Hojlund Compares to Erling Haaland

De Bruyne's evaluation of Højlund and Haaland focuses on playing style rather than statistical achievements. The goal-scoring records of these two imposing Scandinavian forwards make any productivity comparison virtually meaningless; Højlund concluded his Manchester United stint with 26 goals, while Haaland has already matched that figure for City in just the 2025 calendar year alone.

Napoli's new creative catalyst isn't the sole observer to notice the common attributes between Haaland and Højlund. The Danish striker's previous Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini drew the same parallel before his move to United, fueling expectations that ultimately secured the Serie A club a €75 million transfer fee.

"He possesses remarkably similar attributes to Haaland," Gasperini enthused. "He's incredibly fast, clocking under 11 seconds over 100 meters without maximum effort. Despite his stature, he maintains a low center of gravity. I'm certain he'll enjoy an outstanding career, he continues to improve daily." With De Bruyne as his creative partner, he stands a greater chance of fulfilling those elevated expectations.

Stats correct as of Oct. 2, 2025.