Manchester United are set for a transfer windfall after Napoli’s sporting director confirmed his intent to sign loanee striker Rasmus Hojlund permanently.
The Dane moved to Naples on loan with a conditional buy option at the start of this campaign after struggling to find form in the Premier League, but he has quickly endeared himself to the Azzurri’s supporters.
His 35 appearances so far this season have wrought 13 goals and four assists, including a Champions League brace against Sporting CP and an impressive strike against Chelsea.
Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, has made no secret of his affection for the Dane, telling Sky Sports and Mediaset that he intends to make the deal permanent regardless of whether the conditions of the buy obligation are fulfilled.
"Hojlund has been instrumental,” he began. “Even when he hasn’t scored, he’s always worked hard for the team.
“We have an obligation to buy him outright if we qualify for the Champions League, but I don’t think his future lies far from Napoli even if that doesn’t happen.”
Per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Napoli will spend around €44million (£38.1m) to secure his services on a permanent basis.
Manna is in the throes of full-fledged squad planning and also confirmed a new deal for another ex-Manchester United star in Scott McTominay.
The Scot has achieved hero status in Naples since signing last season, helping them to a rare Scudetto title in his debut campaign, and has notched another nine goal involvements in Serie A this time around.
The midfielder’s initial contract was due to expire in two years, but he is set to be handed a new deal, with reports in The Sun claiming he could stay in Italy through 2030 under his updated terms.
Manna explained: “Scott is a key player who has said he sees himself staying at Napoli for a long time. We have two years left on his contract, we’re both happy, and we don’t want this to become a recurring issue in the future.
“We’ll see what happens over the coming months, but he hasn’t expressed any desire to leave and we’re pleased about that. Scott is an important player; he’s happy to be in Naples, and I think he shows that when he plays and when he’s out and about in the city.
“We have an extremely clear and frank relationship with him. We’re talking about it, but it’s not a pressing issue at the moment.
“We know how important Scott is; as of today, we haven’t received any offers, partly because the player has never expressed a desire to move on.”
