Hojlund's permanent Napoli move leaves United's No.9 shirt vacant for Sesko

Rasmus Hojlund’s permanent move to Napoli for £38 million has left Manchester United’s No.9 shirt unclaimed ahead of next season, with Benjamin Sesko emerging as the natural candidate to take it on.

Hojlund spent the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Napoli, with the Italian club paying a £5.2m loan fee before triggering a permanent deal once they secured Champions League football. The Denmark international had originally worn No.11 during his debut season at Old Trafford before inheriting the No.9 from Anthony Martial in 2024, but he wore it for just one full season before being moved on by manager Ruben Amorim.

Sesko, who joined United last summer and currently wears No.30 — a number passed on from Diego Leon — is the senior striker in the squad and the most logical heir to the shirt. The Slovenia international has previously worn No.21 at loan club FC Liefering and No.11 for his national side, though neither of those affiliations would affect his eligibility to take the Premier League number.

The No.9 carries significant weight at Old Trafford. Andy Cole, Dimitar Berbatov, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have all worn it in the Premier League era, with Sir Bobby Charlton among the pre-Premier League legends associated with the number. When Hojlund claimed it two years ago, United confirmed it had become the club’s best-selling replica shirt.

Hojlund’s struggles in his second season — just four Premier League goals — ultimately sealed his fate under Amorim. The £38m sale also helped United avoid a loss on the forward under the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

Reflecting on his exit in a March interview with TV2, Hojlund was candid about his final months in Manchester. “I got what I wanted with my transfer. I got a team that believes in me a lot,” he said. “Here at Napoli, I’ve rediscovered my love for football. People even back in Denmark were writing me off, but I never stopped believing.”

Hojlund also acknowledged the mental toll of his difficult spell at United. “It’s hard not to be on your phone. And if you are on your phone, you’re bound to see what’s being written about you,” he said. “I was put in a bit of a box at the end in Manchester. I knew there wouldn’t be much football for me if it continued like this.”