Hojlund's Heavy Burden: Can Utd's £75M Striker Avoid Martial Fate?

 Before the new season begins, the Danish forward will wear an iconic jersey, and there won't be any room for hiding if he doesn't perform.

"He truly is a front-runner. Quite goal-oriented, excellent press release, and tangible presence. 

"His goal is to score goals," Erik ten Hag stated following Rasmus Hojlund's £75 million ($96 million) summer transfer from Atalanta to Manchester United. "

He has a lot of potential. He was the kind that the squad had been hoping for. They will assist and incorporate him into the team on and off the field. The player must ultimately demonstrate it."

Despite missing 11 games due to injury, Hojlund concluded his rookie campaign at Old Trafford as United's joint-top scorer with 16 goals across all competitions. 

In addition, he won the FA Cup, the first significant prize of his young career, and made history as the youngest player in Premier League history to score in six straight games.

After allowing Anthony Martial to leave as a free agent, United honored the Denmark international by changing his shirt number from 11 to 9.

 The club's social media post announcing the move included the comment "ready to lead the line." However, has Hojlund demonstrated that he can handle this role?

Despite some positive indicators, the 21-year-old appears far from being the finished product and hasn't done enough to justify his exorbitant price tag. 

The pressure on him will only mount after United votes confidence, particularly as expectations will now be higher than ever under the new INEOS ownership structure.

Hojlund and the Red Devils both need to get off to a strong start in the 2024–25 campaign. If not, there's a real chance he'll end up like Martial, who had a bright beginning in Manchester before progressively losing his way.

The fact that United signed Joshua Zirkzee, a forward for Bologna, is also expected to help Hojlund.

 The 23-year-old was signed by the Red Devils for £33.5 million ($43 million), which may prove to be a steal if he can continue to play at the same level in Serie A.

Although Ten Hag's strategies near the conclusion of the previous season indicate he intends to play both of them together, it may initially appear that the Netherlands international has been brought in to challenge Hojlund for a central striker position. 

When Ten Hag switched from his typical 4-2-3-1 system to a 4-2-2-2, United looked much more balanced. Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay effectively played split attackers, and Hojlund and Zirkzee probably now have similar duties.

Zirkzee's powerful physique and remarkable technical abilities make him a perfect target man. While Hojlund plays on the shoulder of the final defender, he will drop to collect the ball, assisting United in maintaining their compactness in the middle of the pitch.

United's counterattacks failed so frequently in the previous season because Hojlund had no one to play off. However, Zirkzee will create space for his teammates because he is a cunning, clever playmaker with fast feet.

While it is true that the Premier League moves faster than Serie A, there is no assurance that Zirkzee will adapt quickly enough. Still, theoretically, he and Hojlund have everything needed to be an extremely potent combination.