Transfer Centre

Manchester United 'plotting double summer swoop for Rasmus Hojlund, Harry Kane'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 20 May 2023

Man United 'plotting double summer swoop for Hojlund, Kane'

Manchester United reportedly plot an ambitious double swoop for Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane and Atalanta BC's Rasmus Hojlund this summer.

Manchester United are reportedly hopeful of striking deals for both Atalanta BC's Rasmus Hojlund and Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane to bolster their attacking ranks this summer.

The Red Devils failed to sign a permanent replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo in January in the wake of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's bitter second exit from Old Trafford before the World Cup.

Erik ten Hag's side managed to pry Burnley's Wout Weghorst away from his loan spell at Besiktas to bring him to the Theatre of Dreams on a temporary basis, but the Dutchman has failed to make a name for himself in Manchester.

Weghorst has only found the back of the net twice in 28 Man United games and is still without a Premier League goal for the club, who are not expected to convert the 30-year-old's loan deal into a permanent move.

Recently, Weghorst has been demoted to the bench by Anthony Martial more often than not, but the former Monaco starlet is also being tipped to seek pastures new this summer amid an injury-riddled season.

Harry Kane celebrates scoring for Tottenham Hotspur on May 6, 2023 © Reuters

Martial has been restricted to a mere nine Premier League starts in the current season, having been hampered by a combination of Achilles, hip, back and hamstring injuries, and his deal runs out next summer.

In contrast, Marcus Rashford has reignited his Red Devils career with 29 goals in all tournaments this season, but the England international has largely been deployed on the left and is not viewed as an out-and-out centre-forward option.

As a result, The Times claims that Man United could try to bring an established and up-and-coming striker to the club to negate the impact of Weghorst and Martial's expected departures, and Hojlund is a prime target.

The 6ft 3in Denmark international left Austrian giants Sturm Graz last summer to join Atalanta and has hit the ground running in Italy with eight goals and three assists from 31 matches in his debut season.

Hojlund is contracted to La Dea for another four years, but Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini admitted in April that the 20-year-old could leave the club for the right price this summer.

Denmark's Rasmus Hojlund celebrates scoring their second goal on March 23, 2023 © Reuters

Atalanta paid just under £15m to prise Hojlund away from Sturm Graz last summer, but the report adds that it could now take a fee of £40m to secure his signature in the upcoming window.

Meanwhile, Tottenham talisman Kane is understood to still be Man United's number one target for a big-name striker amid increasing uncertainty surrounding his contract situation in North London.

As things stand, the England captain will be able to walk away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a free transfer in 2024, but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is fighting tooth and nail to keep him at the club.

There have been suggestions that Tottenham could block any summer bids for Kane and continue negotiations with the 29-year-old into the final year of his contract, albeit while risking losing him for nothing at the end of next season.

Man United are apparently not willing to become embroiled in a protracted transfer saga over a deal for Kane, who recently overtook former Red Devils striker Wayne Rooney as the second-highest Premier League goalscorer of all time.