Rasmus Hojlund is expected to be omitted from Manchester United’s squad for their first game of the season against Arsenal amid uncertainty over his future. Hojlund was an unused substitute in United’s final pre-season friendly with Fiorentina and he is open to joining AC Milan before the transfer window closes on September 1. United head coach Ruben Amorim refused to give assurances last month that Hojlund would stay and he declined to say whether he wanted to keep the Denmark international on Friday. Hojlund, 22, joined United from Atalanta in a £72 million deal in July 2023 and he scored 16 goals in his first season but only managed ten goals last term, with four coming in the Premier League.
United paraded new striker signing Benjamin Sesko, effectively Hojlund’s replacement, last week. United have recorded goal differences of -1 and -10 in the Premier League with Hojlund as their number nine. Since Hojlund outlined his intention to stay at United, Amorim has benched him for two games, not brought him on in one and left him out of the competitive clash with Arsenal. Joshua Zirkzee’s return to team training provides Amorim with an alternative to Sesko up front, though the Portuguese opined last season that he sees Zirkzee as more of a playmaker than a striker.
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