A Scandinavian striker has signed for a Manchester-based club. Where have we heard this before? The last time we heard it was only 12 months ago, when Erling Haaland signed for Manchester City. If Rasmus Hojlund becomes as influential for Manchester United as Haaland is for City, the United fans are in for a treat. 

The 20-year-old will complete a £72m move from Atalanta in the upcoming days. The young striker comes to Old Trafford with bags of potential, but that potential is unproven. He has only had one full season in Atalanta, scoring nine goals in 20 league appearances. Atalanta fans said they only got to see the best out of him in the last few games of the Serie A season.

However, the big question is whether the Hojlund signing is worth it. Was the decision to pull the plug on Harry Kane right? Only time will tell, but going with an inexperienced striker to lead the line seems to be a risky decision by Erik ten Hag. Things can change if the Red Devils go after the England captain to complement Hojlund. However, they know that they would need to generate funds to have a chance of landing Kane.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker is more likely to join Bayern Munich. The Bavarians have held meetings with Spurs CEO Daniel Levy for a potential offer for Kane. They have already had two bids rejected for the English striker. Both representatives met again on Monday, but Bayern Munich’s offer is far from Tottenham Hotspur’s demands. On the other hand, Manchester United only have one striker to give competition to Hojlund, i.e., Anthony Martial. 

Similar profile to Anthony Martial in 2015

Manchester United made a similar signing with Martial in 2015. The 2015 Golden Boy was signed by Louis Van Gaal with the potential to be United’s talisman for years to come. However, that potential was only seen in patches as injuries and inconsistencies hampered his tenure at Old Trafford.  Hojlund seems to be a similar signing signed by another Dutch manager. Will his fate be different from Martial's? That question will only be answered by the player himself.

Rasmus Hojlund's profile compared to Harry Kane

On the other hand, Kane has loads of experience playing in the Premier League. He finished only second behind Haaland in the Premier League Golden Boot race last season. Most importantly, he has the Premier League record of Alan Shearer in his sights. As Manchester United have qualified for the Champions League, he would have got European football plus a shot at the Newcastle United legend’s record. 

Manchester United transfer

So why did Manchester United refuse to go for Kane? Perhaps ten Hag is aware of the English striker’s injury issues. The Dutchman has already been frustrated with Martial’s fitness issues and lack of press in the opposition box. Kane is not as mobile as he was four or five years ago, plus has a long list of ankle injuries. 

Moreover, Kane has decided not to renew at Tottenham Hotspur. If he walks away from North London as a free agent, the Red Devils will have the opportunity of landing the English striker without spending a penny. Hence, the decision to go for Hojlund and not Kane has its pros and cons. Now, it’s up to ten Hag to ensure his decision was right.