Football
Exclusive: Napoli Deal Clause Revealed as Rasmus Hojlund Faces Unwanted Manchester United Return
Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund could be returning to Manchester United as Napoli's results put a £38 million deal at risk. Napoli must secure a top four finish for Hojlund's permanent move. Hojlund, rejuvenated at Napoli, needs to maintain his form to secure his future.
F.C. Copenhagen v SSC Napoli - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 by Alex Pantling - UEFA | Getty Images
Rasmus Hojlund could face an unwanted return to Manchester United at the end of the season, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
The Danish striker wants to turn a successful loan stay with Serie A champions Napoli into a permanent move.
But his ambition and a £38 million deal between the Red Devils and the Gli Azzurri will collapse if the Italian giants’ results fail to improve in the second half of the season.
Our sources have been told a number of conditions were included in the agreement. The key one for Hojlund centres on Antonio Conte’s side qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Such a scenario seemed highly likely at the start of the current campaign. However, defending the Scudetto has proved difficult for the Neapolitans.
Napoli, who need a top four finish to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition for 2026/2027, are looking over their shoulders.
Placed third, they are six points behind leaders Inter Milan and only a point in front of fifth placed Juventus after Sunday's 3-0 humbling in Turin.
There is real danger also they won’t make the last 16 of this season’s Champions League.
Napoli entertain world club champions Chelsea on Wednesday, one place outside the top 24, having won just two of their opening seven games.
Victory over one of Conte’s former clubs should alleviate the fears. But a draw might see them eliminated.
Manchester United will be hoping Hojlund’s Napoli deal goes through, as they plan a full midfield reset this summer, aiming to go “all in” on securing Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace and Carlos Baleba from Brighton.
Shot in the Arm
Hojlund netted only four league goals for United last season and then fell down the pecking order as Ruben Amorim recruited Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
However, the Danish international, 23 next month, has enjoyed a new lease of life after an underwhelming career at United.
Hojlund has found the net nine times, six in the league, to show some of the form that persuaded United to shell out £72 million for his services. He now needs to carry on scoring to ensure his career isn’t in limbo come May.
Shane is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade on the front line, covering everything from football to horse racing. A familiar face in the snooker pressroom, his work regularly appears in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, alongside SportsBoom.
While snooker is where many readers know him best, cricket is his true sporting passion, though he tends to keep that side of him separate from his professional beat.
A staunch traditionalist, he’s unlikely to share your enthusiasm if you believe The Hundred is the future of Test cricket.