Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, has confirmed that the team’s new signing, Rasmus Hojlund, will be absent from the opening game of the season due to injury. The Red Devils are set to host Wolves at Old Trafford on Monday night, aiming to start their season on a high note. However, the team’s plans have received a significant blow with the sidelining of Hojlund, their star signing.
Manchester United's Danish forward Rasmus Hojlund reacts as he is introduced prior to the pre-season friendly football match between Manchester United and Lens at Old Trafford stadium, in Manchester, on August 5, 2023. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
Hojlund, who moved to United last week from Serie A side Atalanta in a £72 million deal, was expected to lead the line for the team. The Danish striker was Ten Hag’s top choice for a new striker, a position he had been looking to fill throughout the summer after United moved on from Harry Kane.
The manager’s hopes of having Hojlund in action for the season opener were dashed following a setback the player faced during his final weeks with Atalanta. “It’s difficult to say how that process will go, but I think he’s making good progress at this moment. We have to see day by day how the progress will go, then we have to follow up,” Ten Hag stated in an interview with Sky Sports.
🔱 It's Rasmus time.#MUFC || @adidasFootball
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 8, 2023
The manager is not expecting Hojlund to be fully fit in the immediate future. “Of course when he’s available and he’s here so you have the option to play, but we don’t expect him in that short notice to be 100 per cent fit. We need all positions doubled because of the number of games,” he elaborated.
Ten Hag is content with the current squad and welcomes competition within the team. “We need the competition, you always have to deal with suspensions and injuries, with the form of players. Also from a technical perspective, we need double positioning and yes you need good players, but also every player needs perspective to play.”
The news comes as a disappointment to Hojlund, who has expressed eagerness to play for United. The 20-year-old striker is geared up to fulfill any role required by Ten Hag as the team strives for more silverware this season.
“I’m very excited. I want to bleed for this jersey, and I want to win some trophies, so that’s why I came here. I know it’s the most competitive league in the world. Playing for Man United has always been my dream. So, this is two very important components which make me take this decision to come here,” Hojlund stated passionately. Despite his youth, the young striker is determined to become a world-class player as soon as possible, eager to contribute to the team’s success by scoring goals and carrying out the manager’s strategy.
