Rasmus Højlund wrote a note to himself when he was eight years old titled “life goals” with a line at the bottom that said: “to play for the Danish national team and Manchester United.”
He arrived at Euro 2024 not only with those goals set, but also becoming the face of the future for both the club and the country. United are trying to build a younger team around Højlund, but also Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. Højlund is also key for Denmark.
The international careers of Christian Eriksen (32), Kasper Schmeichel (37) and Simon Kjaer (35) are coming to an end and it is the task of Højlund, 21, Morten Hjulmand (24) and Victor Kristiansen (21) to spearhead a new was.
It comes with its own specific pressure. There are questions around every corner, and it will be the same when Denmark takes on England on Thursday. What if, for example, United had signed Harry Kane instead of Højlund last summer? And will the Dane one day be as good as the England captain? For many United fans, the two will be forever linked – the proven goalscorer they wanted in the summer of 2023 and the player they hope will become one.
Sources told ESPN that United were interested enough in Kane to have talks with his representatives and his club, Tottenham Hotspur. He was United manager Erik ten Hag's first choice, but there was a feeling that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy would drag out negotiations until the final days of the transfer window and the Old Trafford hierarchy were not prepared to run the risk of the deal failing at the time. last minute. There were also concerns over personal terms with a United executive telling ESPN that Kane wanted “Cristiano money”, a reference to the huge wage package given to Cristiano Ronaldo to bring him back to the club in 2021.
With Kane no longer a possibility, the recruiting team began looking elsewhere. Brighton & Hove Albion told them that Evan Ferguson was unavailable and they did not believe Ollie Watkins was worth the £70million quoted by Aston Villa. The list was eventually narrowed down to Randal Kolo Muani, forward for Højlund and Eintracht Frankfurt. United liked Muani but he decided he would find it difficult to adapt to the Premier League. On top of that, scouts reported that Muani liked to drop into deeper positions and United wanted a profile more like a number 9. That left Højlund.
Atalanta initially wanted £90m for Højlund, and director of football John Murtough and head of football negotiations Matt Hargreaves had to sit at the Italian club's Bortolotti training center from 3pm to 3am until a deal was reached. for around £64 million, plus another £8 million. in accessories.
Kane scored 44 goals in his first season at Bayern Munich, but United remain convinced he did the right thing. There is acceptance among the Carrington coaching staff that Højlund needs to work on his link-up play, but there is a belief that 10 goals in the Premier League and 16 in all competitions represents a good return for his debut season in England.
Signing for United has catapulted Højlund to global fame, but United's scouts were sure he could handle the attention, having been impressed with his character and personality during their background checks. His reports also highlighted his dedication. There was a time when he became so good at swimming that he had to choose between that and soccer. His decision to continue with football paid off and at the age of 12 he joined the Brøndby youth team. His soccer development was aided because his father built an underground field in their Copenhagen home so that Højlund and his younger twin brothers, Emil and Oscar, could continue playing even during Denmark's snowy winters.
Højlund moved to FC Copenhagen in 2020, but after 18 months he began to worry that he was not playing enough games. Thus, in January 2022 he joined Sturm Graz in Austria, a decision partly influenced by data suggesting that the high number of transitions in the Austrian league would suit his game. He once again paid off and after 12 goals in 21 games he moved again, this time to Atalanta.
United first met Højlund while in Copenhagen and could have signed him from Sturm Graz for £12m before joining Atalanta. But it was the way he approached the rise in quality in Italy that convinced United and, from September 2022, he had scouts at every one of his games.
His first season at Old Trafford was not without its problems, but even during barren periods in front of goal (he did not score a league goal until late December) or his long injury layoff in February and March, he continued to smile. . She has sought advice from Ten Hag forwards coach Benni McCarthy and often stays outside after training to practice shooting for him. She has also wanted to sit down with analysts to review his performances, both good and bad.
Shortly after Højlund signed for United, a club source told ESPN that they had “no idea what he could become.” However, his feeling was that his potential was so high that it was worth taking the risk even during a summer when Kane was available, a proven goalscorer for almost a decade and only Alan Shearer had scored more in the Premier League.
Kane and Højlund already faced each other in the Champions League when United faced Bayern last season, and they will meet again when England take on Denmark in Frankfurt on Thursday. The player United could have signed against the one they chose. Whatever the outcome, they believe they chose well and that their future is bright, in part because Højlund is in it.
