Man Utd confident £38m striker transfer will be completed despite new issue

The future of Manchester United loanee Rasmus Hojlund has been thrown into some doubt amid Napoli’s recent wobble in form.

The Italian side suffered a surprise Champions League exit on Wednesday and currently sit fourth in Serie A, with Juventus just one point behind in the race at the top.

Under the terms of Hojlund’s loan move from Man Utd, the transfer will become permanent for £38million (€44m / $52m) provided Napoli qualify for next season’s Champions League.

That scenario is no longer guaranteed, but sources at United insist there is no sense of alarm.

Hojlund has scored 10 goals since arriving in Naples, and the view from sources close to Old Trafford is that a permanent switch remains more likely than not.

United do not have future plans for Hojlund and indications suggest that Napoli will still be willing to take him outside of the obligatory clause.

The Dane joined United in August 2023 when they paid Atalanta an initial £64m for his services, while the deal had the potential to rise to £72m through add-ons.

However, the transfer was a risky one given Hojlund had only netted nine Serie A goals for Atalanta by that point.

The 22-year-old showed signs of promise during his debut season. But his performances dipped in the 2024-25 campaign, prompting United to sanction a deal with Napoli.

The Red Devils now have Benjamin Sesko as their main centre-forward, with Bryan Mbeumo, Joshua Zirkzee and Matheus Cunha all capable of playing there, too.

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Man Utd transfer news: Scouts head to Germany; eight midfield targets

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey has revealed that United watched a German full-back in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Central midfield is known to be a key area for United to bolster, and reports suggest there are eight top stars they are considering.

A £75m-rated midfield target has already greenlit a summer transfer to Old Trafford, too.