Glazers: Club CEO happy to cash in on Rasmus Hojlund amidst takeover

Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi insists he is ‘happy’ with the summer sale of Rasmus Hojlund, despite the striker’s impressive start to life in Manchester United.

The Danish striker has been impressive so far, which has seen him get compared to United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Speaking to DAZN, Percassi insists that the decision to let Hojlund secure his dream move to Old Trafford was still the right one.

“We are certainly happy with the work done with Hojlund,” the CEO insists.

“Atalanta satisfied the boy when faced with a great opportunity.”

Percassi also revealed his side made a huge £47m profit from Hojlund’s £64 million sale, despite the fact he only arrived 12 months earlier. Also, the deal allowed his side to retain the services of star midfielder Teun Koopmeiners for at least another season.

“This summer, we kept faith with the president’s words. Namely, that (Koopmeiners) would not be sold because we wanted to build the team around him,” Percassi adds.

“He embodies the Atalanta spirit. He has excellent skills, and we hope he continues to show them.”

Rasmus Hojlund has been the one bright spark for Man United so far this season as Erik ten Hag’s side continues to struggle.

If there’s been one glimmer of light for Manchester United this season it’s been Rasmus Hojlund.

While nearly every other United player has allowed the club’s struggles to drag them down into the mud and see their own form decline, Hojlund has stood up and given fans at least one thing to be excited about. The young Dane hasn’t been banging the goals in at will and not every performance has raised the roof, but the rough diamond is already shining brighter than what was expected this early into his United career.

Erik ten Hag’s side may have slipped to another humiliating defeat to Galatasaray on Tuesday but Hojlund was still able to impress. The striker scored United’s two goals, had another disallowed and was a constant menace to the Turkish back-line.

Hojlund is becoming a player who causes fans to immediately lean forward and hold their breath when he’s on the ball. Despite his towering frame, he displays frightening pace and skilful dribbling. Along with a growing killer instinct in front of goal.

The fact he’s doing all this when there is more pressure on him than any other player makes it even more impressive. Hojlund was the big summer gamble. One that was taken when a guaranteed win was a possibility.

Harry Kane had been the top target ahead of the transfer window with United in desperate need of a quality striker but was abandoned when Tottenham made it clear he wouldn’t be sold. Yet, as the window came to a close Spurs realised they had little choice but to sell up.

They might not have sold to a Premier League rival but United didn’t even test the waters. Instead, they spent their budget on Hojlund. A bright prospect but one with just nine Serie A goals to his name and far from the guaranteed scorer they need.

United did their best to limit expectations but the pressure on any top striker United sign, especially one signed for so much money, will be intense. They have to deliver and despite everything going against him, Hojlund is promising to do so with some really bright performances.

The risk wasn’t just United’s, however, it was Hojlund’s as well. The 20-year-old could easily have looked at the flailing careers of other hot talents who have made the move to United – namely Jadon Sancho – and decided it would not be a good move for his career.

No one could have blamed him. As Gary Neville put it, United is becoming a “graveyard” for promising careers. “I feel very sorry for the manager, I know a lot of people will say he’s got to do a lot better, and that’s fine, he’s the Manchester United manager, but there are a lot of big problems at the club that managers have found over the last 10 years,” he told talkSPORT.

“I think until those problems are solved we’ll still continue to see underperforming teams, underperforming players, it’s become a graveyard for coaches and players – it’s not too strong a term.

“There are very few players that excel at Manchester United in this last 10 years, they were all great players when they came to the club, they were all wanted by other clubs.

“They won these players off of other clubs and then they end up coming to Manchester United and they end up not succeeding and not performing to their levels. Why is that? It’s because it’s not culturally correct to accept players in the way that it should do and we need to get that right.”

The fact Hojlund is able to impress despite the struggles of talented players who’ve come before him and the side’s steep and sudden decline this season makes his start look even more impressive. United better hope he keeps it up.

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