Napoli show true feelings on Rasmus Hojlund as new clause in Man Utd transfer emerges

 Napoli have already slotted a stunning release clause into Rasmus Hojlund's contract despite him still being on loan from Manchester United. The Danish striker joined the Italian giants on a temporary basis in the summer, albeit with an option to buy.

That clause will become an obligation should Napoli seal a spot in next season’s Champions League and is worth €50m (£43.6m) to the Red Devils. As it stands, the reigning Serie A champions sit third in the standings and just two points behind current leaders Inter Milan.

And it's clear Napoli think they are on the verge of sealing a bargain that could set them up for major profit down the line. As per Corriere dello Sport, an €85m (£74.2m) release clause will be written into his contract once his permanent move goes through and will activate in the summer of 2027.

Hojlund, 22, has scored seven goals and notched three assists since signing for Napoli. And he dropped the clearest hint yet that he would not be returning to Old Trafford earlier this month as he said: “Next season, I’ll give my interviews in Italian.”

Speaking about Hojlund’s recent form, Napoli boss Antonio Conte said: “Hojlund is a player who is very young, he’s still only 22 years old, and can improve a great deal.

“Since he first joined us, he has already progressed to become a dominant player in that role, because he’s starting to understand the right positions to take, how to defend the ball, when to come towards it or back off.

The Italian added: “He is really well connected with the team. In my style of football, the strikers have a very important and special role in the overall approach, and he has huge margin for further improvement.”

Hojlund will be aiming to extend his promising run of form this weekend as Napoli travel to Rome for a clash with Lazio. His current form is a far cry from his United woes.

Having been signed for big-money from Atalanta in 2023, he scored 16 goals across his debut season before following that up with a further ten in the following campaign, albeit just four of those came in the Premier League.

United chose to bolster their attacking options in the summer with the signing of Benjamin Sesko from German side RB Leipzig, while Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo were signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford respectively.