CorSport – Napoli: Hojlund the perfect fit, deal details revealed | OneFootball

CorSport – Napoli, Hojlund is the right man in the right place! All the figures of the deal…

Rasmus Hojlund is the right man arriving in the right place, at the right time: Napoli lost Lukaku 18 days and two matches ago, and on September 18th, they will debut in the Champions League, marking the start of a hectic period. The signatures on the two victories against Sassuolo and Cagliari belong to McTominay, De Bruyne, and Anguissa. In other words: three midfielders. A team full of quality in the midfield and attacking midfield, with an enviable defensive organization and balance that could withstand any test, was missing a young, hungry, and internationally-caliber striker to fill the sudden void created by Lukaku's injury; to complete the pair with Lucca; and above all, to raise an offensive level that had fallen to the brink of inadequacy, considering the number and level of upcoming commitments and opponents after the break. A decisive and assertive response was needed, and Napoli provided it like a great club with a total investment of 45 million for a 22-year-old thoroughbred: 5 for the loan, 40 for the buyout which will become mandatory with qualification for the next Champions League. A 5-year contract plus one, with a 90 million release clause valid from 2027: considering the age and contractual terms, the idea was to secure the future. Besides the present, of course.

Hojlund is the best possible solution given the tight deadlines, the lack of suitable alternatives on the market, and all the variables triggered by Romelu's exit: potential, prospects, values, experience, characteristics. Rasmus, as we were saying, is very young – he will turn 23 next February 6th – but has Serie A experience gained in 2022-2023 with Atalanta and spent the last two seasons in the Premier League with United. At Old Trafford, amidst chaos: a cathedral and especially an environmental situation on the brink of a nervous breakdown where you are forced to grow up quickly. Hojlund left as a child, a golden child worth 78 million euros, and returned as a young man. Hungry and aware that Napoli is truly the great opportunity for him to make the quality leap postponed in Manchester: a first season of a certain level as McTominay's teammate, with 16 goals between the Premier League (10), Champions League (5), and various cups (1), and the last one navigating like all his teammates in a very turbulent sea of problems of all kinds. With 10 goals in total (4 in the Premier League, 6 in the Europa League). In summary? Napoli and Hojlund seem made to be together.

From a technical point of view, Hoj has perfect characteristics for Conte's football: aggressive, quick, fast, a fighter, great physique, intense in pressing and in an improved defensive phase learned at Gasp's school (man-to-man). In his career, he doesn't boast a wealth of headed goals, agreed, but he knows how to fill the area, play for the team, and especially attack spaces and depth. He will work well in the trident and as a reference with the Fab Four: it changes little. With him, Napoli gains in solutions, provided that goals come along with play and sacrifice. Quite a few. More than his history suggests. The number one need remains the one that emerged mercilessly in the previous season, concluded with the championship but also with the sixth attack in the league: strange but true. As if that weren't enough, the team's top scorer is out of action and Lucca, just acquired, is going through a normal settling-in period after the shock of moving from Udinese to the champions and to Maradona. All the weight of the attack has fallen on Lorenzo's shoulders and between Sassuolo and Cagliari, he probably paid a bit of a price: no worries, he has qualities that will come out. And so the arrival of Hojlund, available against Fiorentina after the break, will be good for the team and also for him: shared responsibilities and healthy competition that helps everyone. In the name of the common and supreme good: the goal.

Carlo Gioia

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.