Man Utd bank £38m thanks to Scott McTominay as Champions League clause activated | Football | Sport
Manchester United have secured £38million ahead of next season after Napoli’s qualification for the Champions League activated an obligation to purchase Rasmus Hojlund. The Danish forward moved to the Serie A club on a season-long loan last summer, with United including a clause stipulating the transfer would become permanent should Napoli secure a place in Europe’s premier competition.
While Antonio Conte’s outfit were unable to defend their 2024/25 Serie A title, a 3-0 victory over already-relegated Pisa on Sunday has ensured them of a berth in next season’s Champions League. It means Napoli will be obliged to complete Hojlund’s signing on a permanent basis this summer, following his tally of 15 goals and eight assists in 43 outings for Gli Azzurri. He’s poised to follow in the footsteps of former United midfielder Scott McTominay with a permanent switch to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, who has achieved cult status since his arrival in Italy.
Hojlund found the net in Napoli’s triumph at Pisa, with McTominay and Amir Rrahmani adding the other two in a commanding performance from Conte’s team, who have virtually clinched second place in the standings. Gli Azzurri sit three points clear of AC Milan in third and Roma in fourth, while also possessing a superior goal difference heading into the final weekend.
Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna has already made his intentions crystal clear, stating the club would pursue a deal for Hojlund regardless of whether they secure Champions League qualification.
Back in March, he said: “There are no doubts. Rasmus will stay here. We have an obligation to buy from Manchester United, in case of Champions League access, but he is in our plans regardless of this condition.”
It represents an encouraging development for United ahead of the summer transfer window, with the club eager to strengthen their squad in a bid to mount a serious Premier League title challenge.
Michael Carrick has done a remarkable job steering the club back into the Champions League, having endured a turbulent period under Ruben Amorim prior to his departure.
United are not anticipated to bring in a replacement for Hojlund this summer, having already secured the signing of Benjamin Sesko last summer, who has flourished since Carrick’s appointment at Old Trafford.
Nevertheless, not everybody was persuaded that sanctioning Hojlund’s exit was the correct call. United icon Peter Schmeichel said on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast: “A bit of a shame because I like Hojlund by the way and think he could have been absolutely fantastic. But I don’t think he wants to come back.”
Schmeichel’s former team-mate Nicky Butt added: “What they did with Hojlund was wrong because they brought a young boy in who’s not got any Premier League experience and asked him to carry Manchester United.
“I’m scared they’re going to do that with (Benjamin) Sesko. I know Sesko has done really well of late but they still need to get another centre forward, we had four top players in that position.”
