Manchester United may be looking to secure the services of Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund during the current transfer window. The club’s owners, the Glazers, might feel compelled to make this move in order to protect the club’s value amidst ongoing takeover negotiations involving Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Manager Erik ten Hag is eager to acquire a genuine number nine for the team, as the absence of a focal point in attack would likely impact their performance negatively.

Under ten Hag’s leadership last season, Manchester United made significant progress, winning the Carabao Cup and reaching the FA Cup final. However, the former Ajax boss has made it clear that additional investment is required to contend for the Premier League title.

As a result, Mason Mount has been brought in from Chelsea, and a deal for Andre Onana is reportedly close. Nevertheless, reshaping the team’s forward line remains a crucial task and the most pressing concern. With Anthony Martial expected to leave, Manchester United could face the prospect of starting the 2023/24 season without a recognized striker.

According to The Mirror, the Glazers were initially hesitant to spend heavily during this transfer window. However, concerns over the club’s on-field performances potentially impacting its value prompted them to allocate a transfer budget of £170 million for the upcoming months.

During a recent interview, Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini drew comparisons between his summer signing and Manchester City star Erling Haaland:

“Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also the technical quality that is just remarkable. He still has so much margin for improvement, too.

He has very similar characteristics to Haaland. He is so quick, he’s under 11 seconds over 100m and that’s not even trying very hard. Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity. I am convinced he’ll have a great career, he just gets stronger every day.”