Rasmus Hojlund vows to fight for his place as Man Utd linked with Benjamin Sesko | OneFootball

Rasmus Hojlund has vowed to fight for his place at Manchester United and says he would welcome competition as Ruben Amorim’s side target RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.

The Red Devils are in the midst of a rebuild after their worst top-flight campaign in 51 years was compounded by defeat to Tottenham in their all-or-nothing Europa League final.

United’s misfiring frontline was a major issue and the club are looking to sign a central striker, having brought in forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo for what could end up being a combined £133.5million.

The PA news agency understands they are pursuing a deal for long-standing target Sesko, raising fresh questions about the future of Hojlund who has scored just 14 goals in 62 Premier League appearances.

The 22-year-old has rarely justified the fee paid to Atalanta in 2023 and he has been linked with a summer exit, but the Denmark international wants to stay at Old Trafford.

Asked what United have told him about their plans for him this season, Hojlund told reporters in Chicago: “Nothing so far.

“I think the most important (thing) for me is to keep working hard and stay focused and then obviously we’ll see what happens.

“I think my plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot whatever happens.”

A possible return to Serie A has been mentioned this summer, but United would take a substantial hit two years on from signing him for £64m plus a potential £8m in add-ons.

Hojlund’s confidence looked shot at times last term but he has shown promise in pre-season, including opening the scoring in Wednesday’s 4-1 victory against Bournemouth.

That Premier League Summer Series match kicked off just hours after United’s increased pursuit of Sesko made headlines, but the striker claims he would relish the challenge.

“Competition is fine with me, it sharpens me, so I’m more than ready,” said Hojlund, who is the same age as the Slovenia international.

“I’m feeling sharp so, yeah, I’m welcoming everything that comes. I think it’s good with competition and it only sharpens the team.”

Hojlund says he “could have done with some help in terms of sharing the games a bit” previously at United, especially early in his time at the club, but feels he has matured.

Amorim acknowledged the Dane’s improvements after the win against Bournemouth, but the Red Devils boss did not offer any reassurance over his future.

“I’m really happy with Rasmus, but I don’t know what is going to happen until the end of the market,” he told reporters at the post-match press conference.

“The important thing is that Rasmus is scoring goals. He’s connecting really well with the team. He’s improving.

“Again, I don’t know what is going to happen until the market is closed. We suffered a lot because of the lack of goals last season.”