New Manchester United signing Rasmus Hojlund has revealed that joining the Red Devils was a long-held dream on a Danish television programme.
The striker became the latest piece in Erik ten Hag’s Premier League-challenging puzzle to arrive in Manchester this summer, on the heels of fellow big-money recruits Mason Mount and Andre Onana.
The £72million player was unveiled in front of a packed house at Old Trafford ahead of the club’s pre-season friendly against Lens and beamed with delight as he posed for photographs with his new shirt and United mascot Fred the Red.
Hojlund – who joined the club from Serie A side Atalanta – was single-mindedly focused on joining Ten Hag’s squad during the window, despite late interest from Paris Saint-Germain.
Just three years after starting his senior career at Copenhagen, the 20-year-old’s summer move marks the achieving of an ambition first visualised by the player over 10 years ago.
Rasmus Hojlund revealed his long-held ambitions to play for Manchester United on Danish TV
The 20-year-old shared a note on his ‘goals’ written at the age of 10 and kept in his family home
The former Atalanta striker also produced a picture of him as a 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 (centre) with his brothers
Speaking to TV2 Sport, Hojlund shared a note he wrote for a school project at the age of 10 which detailed: ‘My goal is to play for the Danish national team and for Manchester United.’
Ahead of making his debut at Old Trafford, the striker has already been capped six times at senior level for his national team since his first call-up in 2022, and scored six goals to match.
Speaking about the piece of work, Hojlund told the channel: ‘It’s about dreaming big and daring to dream big. Otherwise you will not reach your goals.
‘It is rare that you get everything in one package, but I would actually say that everything has just come together with me and Manchester United. It’s a perfect match.
‘Right now the club is going through a process, and I would very much like to be a part of it. This is also why I have chosen to come here now, because I feel I can grow with the club, and hopefully we can win a lot of trophies together.’
Hojlund also shared a picture of himself dressed in a black Man United shirt alongside his younger brothers Emil and Oscar, sporting red club jerseys.
The player claimed he has been a fan of the club since he was ‘very small’, making his multi-million-pound move all the more compelling.
Discussing what his 10-year-old self would think of the culmination of his 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood goal, Hojlund added: ‘I think that Rasmus at 10 would probably be “buzzing”, as they say over here in England.
The player was spotted in training at Carrington on Wednesday morning despite a back injury
‘(He) set himself a goal, so that’s what I’ve gone after.’
Hojlund’s inner 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 may have to wait a little longer for his full debut, as the striker continues to recover from a back injury that is likely to limit his playing time at the start of the season.
An MRI scan conducted as part of Hojlund’s medical last week revealed a stress response hotspot in his back, which can be the start of stress fractures in young players.
Hojlund has been spotted training at Carrington on Wednesday but the club are believed to be targeting the clash with Arsenal at the Emirates on September 3 as a potential debut date for the young player.
