The trend of former Manchester United players thriving in Napoli seem to be carrying on, with Rasmus Hojlund joining Scott McTominay in making a quick impression.
Hojlund made his first appearance for Napoli against David de Gea’s Fiorentina, and manager Antonio Conte did not hesitate to throw him straight into the line-up.
Even though he had not featured for United since a pre-season friendly against Fiorentina back in August, the Dane was handed a starting spot.
How Rasmus Hojlund performed in his Napoli debut
Hojlund’s time at Manchester United was more about confidence than ability, so there was always a good chance he would find his form again at Napoli.
But what caught many off guard was how quickly Antonio Conte put his faith in him. Despite limited training and no recent matches, Hojlund was picked ahead of Lorenzo Lucca right from the start.
And he justified that decision early on. He nearly scored within the first three minutes and then found the net just after, finishing past De Gea to give Napoli a two-goal lead in the 14th minute.
Hojlund left the pitch in the 73rd minute. Lucca did not do much to change things off the bench, so it looks likely that he will keep his spot for Napoli’s Champions League debut this season.
Italian media impressed by Hojlund’s Napoli debut
Players moving from Manchester United to Serie A often fit in well, but Rasmus Hojlund’s debut still caught the attention of the Italian press.
Eurosport gave him one of the top ratings on the team, alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Sam Beukema. They noted: “Excellent work as a striker, he brings the team forward and effectively pushes forward, giving Pongracic a headache.”
Repubblica praised all three summer signings, stating that Hojlund, De Bruyne, and Beukema “led the way.”
Rainews rated Hojlund 7.5 out of 10 and wrote: “He displayed a series of important qualities: quick thinking and execution, superb control technique, selflessness, and the ability to often anticipate defenders. The promise was excellent.”
The next match for Hojlund will be a familiar fixture as Napoli head to Etihad Stadium to play Manchester City in their Champions League opener.
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