have confirmed the signing of Rasmus Hojlund from Serie A side Atalanta in a deal that could reach £72million.
The Red Devils had been locked in talks with their Italian counterparts for several weeks, ramping up negotiations at the backend of July as pushed to secure his new frontman before the new season kicks off.
Atalanta had hoped to land a club-record fee of €90million (£77m) but have .
Hojlund, who is represented by the same agency as Ten Hag, agreed personal terms some time ago and jumped at the chance to join United, the club he has supported since he was a child.
He was not involved in Atalanta’s pre-season friendly win over Bournemouth last weekend as the deal edged closer and jetted in to Manchester on Tuesday to undergo a medical at Carrington.
The 20-year-old has now put pen to paper on a five-year deal – with the option of an additional 12 months – and becomes the sixth-most expensive signing in United’s history.
Ten Hag had earmarked a new striker as his top transfer priority this summer, having been bereft of options up top last season, and quickly identified Hojlund as the ideal addition after deciding not to pursue a deal for Tottenham contract rebel Harry Kane.
Injury limited Anthony Martial to just 11 starts in the Premier League last season while January loan signing Wout Weghorst failed to score in 17 league outings and was not retained.
With Martial still recovering from a hamstring injury, Ten Hag has used Jadon Sancho as a false nine in pre-season as well as Marcus Rashford through the middle – though both players prefer playing on the flanks.
Hojlund fits the profile of line-leading frontman Ten Hag has been looking for and is blessed with incredible pace and power despite his tender years, while he netted nine times in 32 Serie A appearances last season.
He only moved to Bergamo a year ago in a £14.5m switch from Austrian side Sturm Graz, where he netted 12 goals in 21 games in his half season at the club after leaving Copenhagen in January 2022.
Hojlund has particularly caught the eye for the Danish national team, netting five times in two back-to-back Euro 2024 qualifiers in March – bagging a hat-trick against Finland – and was on the scoresheet once again against Slovenia in June.
His arrival takes United’s spending this summer to around the £175m mark, with Hojlund joining Mason Mount and Andre Onana, and the Red Devils could yet swoop for Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat too.
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