Manchester United Gary Neville has launched a defence of Rasmus Hojlund’s first season in England and for his former side.
The Danish striker was signed from Atalanta last summer and was tasked with being the club’s main striker, despite only being 20 years old when he put pen to paper.
He got off to a flying start, scoring five goals in six Champions League games, but failed to find the back of the net domestically until Boxing Day.
Despite a sluggish start he did manage to finish the season as the club’s top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions.
Speaking as a pundit on ITV during coverage of the Euro 2024 competition (via The Manchester Evening News) Neville praised the 21 year old’s first season at Old Trafford.
“I think he has done well. When you think about what Manchester United have done to players in the last 10 years, they’ve broken seasoned internationals who have signed for big money.”
The former United captain then claimed that the striker has reacted well to joining the team in such a difficult, transitional moment in the team’s history.
“The lack of stability in the club over the last 12 months, all the changes, particularly up at the top, they’ve got basically no centre-forwards other than him. They’ve got wide players who were out of form that weren’t giving him the type of service he needed.”
The United legend then went on to praise his character and claimed he has the mental strength to make it at Old Trafford when others have not.
“But he scored 16 goals in 35 starts and most of all, he stood up that kid. During the tough times in the season he was the one who I thought ‘what a personality he’s got’.”
Neville also claimed that the forward was put in an awkward situation due to Anthony Martial’s injury and the team’s inability to bring in seasoned veteran alongside him.
“I think he should have been supported more by having a more experienced striker alongside him but they couldn’t get one in and it was all left to him. I think he’s had a good first season and he’s got the potential to be something pretty good.”
The Sky Sports pundit has already claimed that he can’t see Hojlund becoming a “great” Premier League striker but he could mould himself into one that can score 20 goals a season.
Hojlund had a slow start to his Euro 2024 campaign against Slovenia but he will be hoping to make much more of an impact when the Scandinavians face England on Thursday.
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