Rasmus Hojlund signing speaks volumes about Man Utd now, claims Treble winner
Teddy Sheringham has suggested that Manchester United would never have signed Rasmus Hojlund under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Hojlund, who joined United from Atalanta in a £72million deal last summer, had an impressive debut season at Old Trafford. The 21-year-old striker scored 16 goals in 43 appearances for the Red Devils, including five in the Champions League.
However, Sheringham, speaking to BoyleSports who offer the latest Euro 2024 betting, expressed his belief that Hojlund's arrival was due to United's inability to attract top-tier players like Harry Kane, who ended up moving from Spurs to Bayern Munich. The former England international also suggested that if Sir Alex Ferguson was still at the helm, the signing of Hojlund might not have taken place.
"First and foremost, the signing of Rasmus Hojlund comes from United's failure to not compete for the players at the very top level last summer, like Harry Kane," Sheringham said. "Years ago under Sir Alex, the club would've been in the hunt for Harry Kane and other players at the very top level who perform week in and week out."
Despite his views, Sheringham has lauded Hojlund for his tireless efforts and commitment in a season where many of his team-mates have failed to show the same level of dedication. He feels that while the Dane has "done okay", United have had to settle for a second-best option with the former Atalanta forward.
Teddy Sheringham won the treble under Sir Alex Ferguson at United
"They bought a second best in Hojlund. I think he has done okay, he works hard and has to feed off scraps," Sheringham commented, before praising Hojlund's youth and commendable work ethic. "Overall I think he has done okay and United should be thankful that he works so hard and you can't forget that he is still young and learning his way."
Hojlund's performance has been defended by Gary Neville, who believes the lack of 'stability' at Old Trafford hasn't helped the striker settle into the club. The 21-year-old also "stood up" during challenging times last season, according to the former United full-back.
"I think he has done well," Neville said while providing punditry on ITV for Euro 2024. "When you think about what Manchester United have done to players in the last 10 years, they've broken seasoned internationals who have signed for big money," he added.
"The lack of stability in the club over the last 12 months, all the changes, particularly up at the top, they've got basically no centre-forwards other than him, but he scored 16 goals in 35 starts and most of all, he stood up that kid. During the tough times in the season he was the one who I thought 'what a personality he's got.' That's all you need."
Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United celebrates
Hojlund is currently with the Danish squad at Euro 2024 and will be preparing to face England on Thursday in their second group stage fixture. The striker was a big performer in qualifying, scoring seven goals to help Denmark top their group.
However, despite his form dipping lately where he has scored just once in his last eight internationals, his national team manager Kasper Hjulmand has addressed the forward's struggles. He suggested Hojlund is going through a "phase" and that his ability to always make an "impression" in games will see him through.
"It comes in phases. Sometimes you have this period where you score a lot of goals," Hjulmand said. "But thankfully Rasmus always makes a big impression in every game. He's dangerous and he's fully motivated but he always makes a difference, which is the most important thing."
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