- Hojlund joins United
- Has signed five-year contract
- Erik ten Hag finally lands new No.9
WHAT HAPPENED? Hojlund flew to Manchester on Tuesday before completing a medical at Carrington, and has now been officially unveiled as a United player. The 20-year-old striker has signed a five-year contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until at least 2028, with the Red Devils also holding an option to extend that agreement by an extra year.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: United have reportedly paid Atalanta £62m ($79m) upfront for Hojlund, with the remaining £8m set to be delivered in performance-related add-ons. Hojlund is now linking up with Christian Eriksen at club level, and his Denmark team-mate gave him a glowing endorsement before his arrival in England. "He's a strong number nine," Eriksen told PA Sport. "He's developed a lot in the last year from when I first saw him with the national team (to) a year's time, so, yeah, he's a very good player."
AND WHAT'S MORE: Hojund initially joined Atalanta from Sturm Graz in August last year for €17 million (£15m/$19m), and made 34 appearances across all competitions in his solitary season with the Italian club. He only managed a modest total of 10 goals for Atalanta, and Erik ten Hag has taken a big gamble by trusting the inexperienced youngster to become United's first-choice center-forward. The United boss has been publicly pushing for the club to sign a new No.9 for months, and after the club backed off Harry Kane due to Tottenham's lofty £100m ($128m) valuation, Hojlund emerged as his top target.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT? Hojlund, who has six caps and six goals to his name for Denmark, will hope to make his competitive debut for United when they open their 2023-24 Premier League campaign away at Wolves on August 14.