Rasmus Hojlund has held 'multiple video calls' with Erik ten Hag as Manchester United weigh up a swoop for the highly-rated Atalanta striker.
After a successful maiden campaign at the helm, Ten Hag has designs on bolstering his squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and acquiring a new No.9 is the Dutchman's top priority in the upcoming transfer window.
Tottenham talisman Harry Kane is the club's dream signing. However, it is believed United's rivals would be reluctant to sell to a direct Premier League rival. Ten Hag is aware of that stance and has identified other targets, including Hojlund, who has emerged as one of Europe's most promising young strikers.
Following reports that Manchester United had sounded out Atalanta over Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt in relation to Randal Kolo Muani, The Manchester Evening News has now outlined that Ten Hag has, in fact, spoken with the former on more than one occasion via video call.
The 20-year-old has plundered 15 goals in 41 games for Atalanta after linking up with the Italian outfit last summer and has attracted admiring glances from several of Europe's elite over the last few months.
The Denmark international has been identified as an 'attainable' target by Ten Hag, who is keen to get to work in the transfer market. It is believed Atalanta would be open to doing business with United at the right price.
A report from The Athletic earlier in the week had highlighted that the agency which represents Ten Hag, SEG, have also brokered a deal with Hojlund - a development which could boost Manchester United's hopes of snaring the sought-after striker.
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SEG co-founder Kees Voss has a close relationship with Ten Hag and has been a regular visitor to Old Trafford this season. Voss was in attendance for last weekend's Premier League finale against Fulham and was also spotted having dinner with Ten Hag and former United striker Robin van Persie back in December.
Ten Hag has had a dearth of attacking options available to him this term and stressed that United need to sign players who can help ease the goalscoring burden on Marcus Rashford in a recent interview with The Times.
The United boss said: “He [Rashford] can play as a centre forward, can play from the left, can play from the right. When you see his stats, he is scoring everywhere but he feels more comfortable as a centre forward or from the left.”
He added: “What we need besides Marcus Rashford is one extra player with scoring abilities whether it’s coming out of our own squad or we have to sign one.”
