Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, believes it is a ‘formality’ that Rasmus Hojlund will leave Manchester United to join the Italian club on a permanent transfer.
Hojlund joined Napoli on loan over the summer after falling out of favour at Old Trafford just two seasons after joining the club for a hefty £72million fee.
The Dane scored only four Premier League goals last season, and was replaced in the off-season by the arrival of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
Since his move to Italy, Hojlund has scored nine goals in 20 games in all competitions and helped Antonio Conte’s side win the Super Cup in December.
Hojlund’s loan move came with an option to buy for around £38m, while there is an obligation to make the deal permanent if certain conditions are met, including Napoli securing qualification for the Champions League.
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And the defending Serie A champions don’t envisage there being any problems with a deal being completed in the summer, according to their sporting director Manna.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, he said: ‘We did everything we could to sign him. There were more storied clubs interested, but his will was crucial, and we are proud of it.
‘We had no doubts. Rasmus is decisive in terms of numbers, but also in how he understands the coach’s input. This makes a difference.”
‘There’s an option to buy and an obligation to buy if we qualify for the Champions League. The player considers himself a Napoli player, and the same goes for us. This is extremely important.’
Asked if Hojlund’s permanent Napoli transfer was just a “formality,” Manna replied: ‘As of today, I think so.’
Hojlund, meanwhile, spoke recently about his decision to leave United in the summer, insisting that a move to Napoli was the ‘right step’ in his career.
‘Manchester United had let me know that I wasn’t in their plans for the season, for me and for Napoli it was an opportunity: I wanted to wear the Azzurri shirt straight away, I spoke with Manna and then with [Antonio] Conte, I understood the meaning of this challenge for me,’ he told Corriere dello Sport.
‘The first call with Conte was brief but very clear. We both knew it was the right step for me. When a coach like him calls you, you just have to say yes.
‘For my age, I’ve already played a lot, I don’t think I’m an experienced player yet but, certainly, I already have a lot of games under my belt.’
Hojlund’s likely departure is a welcome boost for United as they look to raise funds for the continued rebuild of their squad under Amorim.
The Red Devils are reportedly eyeing attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window, with a new signing likely to allow Joshua Zirkzee to leave the club.
Zirkzee, who scored in United’s final game of 2025 against Wolves, has struggled for minutes this season and is keen to leave to bolster his chances of making the Netherlands’ World Cup squad.
Reports suggest that the Dutch striker has already approved a move to Serie A side Roma after positive talks with Roman’s managment team.
Roma are confident a deal, an initial loan with the obligation to buy for €40million at the end of the season, will be wrapped up by mid-January when United will have Mbeumo and Amad back from Africa Cup of Nations duty.
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