AC Milan are still hopeful of signing Rasmus Hojlund from Manchester United, but they must convince the player of the move.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning that United tried to make Hojlund understand that they believe an exit is in the best interests of all parties. They did this by not letting him play a single minute at Old Trafford in the friendly against Fiorentina.
Moreover, it was on the very day of the presentation of Benjamin Sesko, the new €85m striker who should push Hojlund away from Manchester. Where? Milan are hoping and waiting, all while close to finalising an agreement with United for the Dane on loan with an option to buy.
But, for the deal to reach the final stages, the former Atalanta striker must be convinced that his time with the Red Devils is over. Without this first point, the transfer will not happen.
The situation
As mentioned, United have been open to the possibility of a loan for days, after initial reluctance. Milan and United have thus begun discussing the figures, and the gap between offer and demand has gradually narrowed.
Between the cost of the temporary transfer and the buyout, the deal would be around €40m, with the Rossoneri paying the full €4m per season salary of the Dane, who arrived in England two years ago, signing a contract until 2028 with an option to extend.
But the conditional remains a must, because Hojlund remains fixated on the possibility of fighting for a spot at Old Trafford. This is despite the signings of Sesko and Cunha, plus Joshua Zirkzee remaining.
Should he remain in Manchester, Hojlund would have to mount a titanic comeback against his three team-mates. From the outside, it’s almost a miracle. Especially since the fans’ enthusiasm for Sesko’s signing is palpable, from Old Trafford yesterday to social media.
Milan, who are still counting on United and the meticulous work of an intermediary, will try to convince Hojlund to join this week, but they won’t wait forever.
Yesterday’s goal in the Dublin friendly against Leeds confirmed to Allegri and the management that they can count on Santiago Gimenez if the new striker doesn’t arrive before the start of the season (the Coppa Italia game against Bari is next Sunday), but a long wait also carries greater risks.
The Danish option is the preferred one for the management, both for technical and financial reasons, but the further it goes, the more room there is for a competitors to emerge, perhaps willing to pay for the player immediately.
Obviously, this scenario wouldn’t leave United indifferent, who would thus cash in on the striker’s departure without waiting for a possible buy-out. So, the next few days could be decisive.
