Manchester United confirm Rasmus Hojlund's permanent move to Napoli for €44m

Manchester United have confirmed the permanent departure of Rasmus Hojlund, who has joined Napoli for €44million (£38m) after the Italian club secured Champions League qualification by finishing second in Serie A.

Hojlund spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Napoli, with an obligation to buy clause built into the agreement. That clause was activated once Napoli confirmed their place in next season’s Champions League, ending any prospect of the Denmark international returning to Old Trafford.

In a club statement, United noted that Hojlund scored 16 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions during his loan spell, helping Napoli win the Supercoppa Italiana and finish runners-up in the Italian top flight. Over his two seasons at United, the 22-year-old recorded 26 goals in 96 appearances after joining from Atalanta in the summer of 2023.

Napoli had paid a €6million (£5.2m) loan fee at the start of the season. The fixed permanent fee structure means United have avoided registering a loss on the forward under the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Hojlund’s exit had been signalled early in the 2024/25 campaign, when manager Ruben Amorim omitted him from squads for Premier League fixtures against Arsenal and Fulham, as well as a League Cup tie against Grimsby, despite the striker expressing a desire to compete for his place during pre-season in the United States. United moved on from Hojlund after completing the signing of Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig for £73.6million on August 9, with the Slovenian forward going on to score 12 goals in his debut season at the club.

Hojlund joined United as a boyhood fan and was part of the squad that lifted the FA Cup in May 2024, coming off the bench in the final against Manchester City at Wembley. United’s statement concluded by wishing him well for the next chapter of his career.