Last weekend, Rasmus Højlund joined Napoli on loan. On his debut for Napoli, he found the net against Fiorentina just 14 minutes into the game. Two and a half weeks later, he returned to the city he had called home for two years to prepare for Thursday night’s Champions League match against Manchester City.
In an alternate timeline, Højlund might have been training at Carrington this week, with no European football to compete in, trying to work his way back into Rúben Amorim’s plans.
Staying at Manchester United had always been his plan: “I will stay at Manchester United no matter what,” he told reporters after scoring in the 4-1 friendly win over Bournemouth in Chicago. It was only after returning from United’s pre-season tour of the US that Højlund moved into a newly rented property in Altrincham.
His determination to stay at United remained firm until the final week of the summer transfer window, but it ultimately crumbled after the penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town.
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, Højlund held a meeting with key decision-makers at United following that game, and the 22-year-old was told directly that he had no future at Old Trafford.
Prior to this, there had been suggestions that Højlund should explore other options, but he himself wanted to compete with Benjamin Šeško – the striker signed from RB Leipzig for €76.5 million – believing he could still impress Amorim in training and win back a regular starting spot.
However, the defeat at Blundell Park marked the third consecutive game Højlund had been left out of the matchday squad, and the EFL Cup loss also meant he had completely lost the chance to feature in up to six potential games for United during the 2025-26 season.
With no European qualification already confirmed, the reduction in the number of matches made it even harder for him to stay. When the club’s hierarchy made it clear he had no future at United, he was forced to accept the reality of leaving.
Højlund was excited by the offer to join the Serie A champions. He flew to Italy that weekend and completed a one-season loan move the following Monday. If Antonio Conte’s side qualify for next season’s Champions League as expected, Højlund will join Napoli on a permanent basis for a transfer fee of €44 million.
He had been a Manchester United fan since childhood, which only strengthened his desire to stay. However, no club keeps a player solely because they are a fan, and Højlund’s performances during his two years as United’s first-choice striker had been inconsistent. A record of 26 goals in 95 appearances was not enough to guarantee any centre-forward a regular place in the team.
During his slump last season, it was easy to forget that Højlund had been United’s top scorer in all competitions in his first season with 16 goals (10 of which came in the Premier League).
Those goals came in a sudden burst – he did not score his first domestic goal until Boxing Day – but his performances were United’s only real highlight in a dismal Champions League campaign. Højlund scored five goals in six matches, including one away to Bayern Munich, but it was not enough to prevent United from being eliminated early in the group stage.
Last season, Højlund scored just 10 goals in all competitions, with only four coming in the Premier League, and he went 21 games without scoring between December and March, which subjected him to greater scrutiny.
Even after Højlund ended his goal drought in the away game against Leicester City, he only scored two more goals in his next 13 matches. In the following weeks, although he started consecutive games, his lack of confidence was obvious.
Højlund struggled to regain his form during that period, and he had been battling a foot injury for the final few months of the season.
To fully recover from the injury, he would have needed up to three weeks of rest, but with no other options available and United’s Europa League matches being crucial, he barely got a chance to recuperate.
After Brian Brobbey was redeployed to the number 10 position and a subsequent hamstring injury left him sidelined for much of the season’s business end, Højlund became the only available and recognized striker in Amorim’s squad. United also decided not to include 17-year-old Chido Obi in the matchday squads, effectively leaving Højlund as the sole option up front.
Sources said Højlund also wanted to continue playing while recovering, rather than resting, as he acknowledged that period was crucial for the club.
Even when United first pursued Højlund two years ago, it was believed that he would benefit greatly from playing alongside a more experienced striker.
This summer, a full, uninterrupted pre-season was also seen as an opportunity for him. Højlund had arrived too late to take part in the 2023 tour and had also picked up a back injury, which delayed his debut until early September.
A year later, he opened the scoring for United in their first tour friendly against Arsenal in Los Angeles, but pulled a hamstring a few minutes later and missed the opening weeks of the season once again.
Determined to put last season behind him, Højlund trained during the summer break before returning to Carrington, and also trained in Portugal with Harry Maguire and his brother, Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Oscar Højlund.
If Šeško wants to avoid following in his predecessor’s footsteps, he must prove himself as soon as possible.
