As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United are set to submit their opening bid for Atalanta’s Rasmus Højlund.
It is understood that personal terms between the player and the club are ‘100% agreed’ and the Danish international wants to join The Red Devils this summer.
Initial talks between the two sides have already been held, with United offering three players in exchange for the striker, however the Italian club were understood to have turned down this offer, instead maintaining an asking price of around €65/70m- significantly more than his €45m market value, according to Transfermarkt. Despite this market valuation of the 20-year-old, there are signs could rise to somewhere closer to the asking fee in the coming years, with his current value having risen from just €4.5m in May 2022.
Having signed for €17.2m from Austrian side Sturm Graz in August 2022, the precocious forward scored nine goals in 20 starts in the Serie A for La Dea last season and has caught the eye of many clubs around Europe due to his excellent movement, speed, and power.
The potential incoming bid will see Erik ten Hag’s side make their first official move for a new striker this summer, with several options already having been removed from their shortlist. Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen were both seen as too expensive, whilst, the Dutch managers top choice Harry Kane was denied a move by Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, who was determined not to sell his club’s record goalscorer to a Premier League rival.
The move for Højlund marks another chapter in what has already been a busy summer at Old Trafford. Academy graduate Marcus Rashford is set to sign a new long-term deal at his boyhood side, Mason Mount has joined from rivals Chelsea for a £60m fee, whilst the €55m signing of André Onana from Inter Milan is expected to be confirmed imminently- with the Cameroonian set to replace the outgoing David de Gea.
Travis Levison | Get Football
