Owen calls on Man Utd to give loan star second chance in the starting XI next season | OneFootball

Michael Owen has called on Man Utd to give Rasmus Hojlund another chance in the first team next season despite Napoli being set to sign the striker.

The Red Devils revamped their attack over the summer transfer window with Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha arriving in deals worth nearly £200m.

Hojlund, meanwhile, headed in the opposite direction in a season-long loan deal to Napoli, with the Serie A side having an obligation to sign the Denmark international if they qualify for the Champions League this season.

Their 3-0 win over Pisa, which Hojlund scored in, secured their place in next season’s Champions League and presumably means Hojlund will head to Italy on a permanent deal from Man Utd in the summer.

However, despite it potentially being out of Man Utd’s hands, former striker Owen wants to see Hojlund given a second chance in the first team under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford.

Owen told Premier League Productions: “I don’t care who you play up front, it’s very hard to judge when the team aren’t functioning.

“Strikers are the end of the chain, if the chain is broken, it’s pointless in many ways. I would love to see Hojlund and see what he can do now.

“He played in a Manchester United team that was broken and didn’t have any links and played poorly. Who’s to say he’s not really good? He’s doing really well in Italy now.

“Sesko is the same, it was hard to judge but now that chain throughout the team is actually working, you are seeing a different type of player.

“I just wonder how much wastage there has been for many years in. Everyone says the purchases have been poor and that might be the case but sometimes they might not get a fair crack of the whip because they don’t get the service.”

Schmeichel: To lose Hojlund is ‘a bit of a shame’

Owen isn’t the only former Man Utd player who thinks the Red Devils could be making a mistake by allowing Hojlund to join Napoli on a permanent deal, with Peter Schmeichel also frustrated.

Man Utd legend Schmeichel said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast: “I think the deal is if Napoli qualify for the Champions League then they are obliged to sign Rasmus Hojlund permanently.

“So that’s a bit of a shame because I like Hojlund by the way and think he could have been absolutely fantastic.

“But I don’t think he wants to come back and I don’t think he can because Napoli have already qualified for the Champions League.”