Napoli director Giovanni Manna has said both club and player consider the striker’s permanent switch from Manchester United a done deal
Rasmus Hojlund left Manchester United to join Napoli on loan(Image: Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)
Rasmus Hojlund’s permanent transfer from Manchester United to Napoli is all but confirmed, according to a top official at the Italian club. The striker was loaned to the Serie A giants for the season and has made an immediate impact.
Napoli have the option to make the move permanent for €50m (£43.6m) at the end of the loan spell, which will become mandatory if they secure a Champions League spot this season. However, all the signs point towards Hojlund making a permanent switch regardless.
Giovanni Manna, Napoli’s director, has stated that both the club and Hojlund view the transfer as essentially finalised, reports the Mirror.
“We did everything we could to sign him. There were more storied clubs interested, but his will was crucial, and we are proud of it,” Manna said in an interview with Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport.
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“We had no doubts. Rasmus is decisive in terms of numbers, but also in how he understands the coach’s input. This makes a difference.
“There’s an option to buy and an obligation to buy if we qualify for the Champions League. The player considers himself a Napoli player, and the same goes for us. This is extremely important.”
When quizzed about whether a permanent move for Hojlund was likely, Manna responded: “As of today, I think so.”
These remarks from Manna follow reports in Italy suggesting that Napoli are already preparing the terms of Hojlund’s contract as a full-time player. Reports suggest the striker will have a €85m (£74.2m) release clause included in his contract in Naples – with that clause becoming active in the summer of 2027. Hojlund has netted seven goals in 19 appearances for the Serie A outfit this campaign.
“Hojlund is a player who is very young, he’s still only 22 years old, and can improve a great deal,” Napoli boss Antonio Conte said about Hojlund’s form recently.
“Since he first joined us, he has already progressed to become a dominant player in that role, because he’s starting to understand the right positions to take, how to defend the ball, when to come towards it or back off.”
The Italian added: “He is really well connected with the team. In my style of football, the strikers have a very important and special role in the overall approach, and he has huge margin for further improvement.”
Hojlund signed for United from Atalanta in 2023, bagging 16 goals during his first campaign at Old Trafford before adding another ten in his second season, with only four of those coming in the Premier League.
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