Popular Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand sees a similarity between Rasmus Hojlund\u2019s situation at Old Trafford this campaign and that of Darwin Nunez\u2019s at Anfield last season.<\/p>\n
Ferdinand anticipates Hojlund having to go through the motions of finding his feet in his first Premier League season, much like what Darwin Nunez had to undergo at Liverpool in the previous campaign when he began with the Reds.<\/p>\n
The popular former United defender believes that the 20-year-old United-bound Hojlund may require a season to adjust like Darwin Nunez did at Anfield as the lad is set to complete a \u00a372million move from Atalanta this week. United are reportedly paying \u00a364m of that fee up front with the rest as add-ons.<\/p>\n
Hojlund will be arriving in the North West as a relatively unproven, having only scored nine goals in his solitary season in the Italian Serie A the last time out.<\/p>\n
By comparison, Nunez cost Liverpool an initial \u00a364m last summer and scored 48 goals in 85 games for Benfica. However he did not start out as hoped and only managed to score 15 times in all competitions, which understandably saw an upsurge of criticism from the Anfield faithful who had expected a lot more from him.<\/p>\n
Ferdinand believes Hojlund\u2019s debut season will be similar to that of Nenuz\u2019s and doesn’t quite expect the former to live up to the initial expectations his fee should command.<\/p>\n
He said: “The first thing you’ve got to look at is there’s huge potential. Anyone who has seen him play will see there are attributes there that you would like. He’s suited to the Premier League.<\/p>\n
“I think the price tag is out of his hands. I look at it a bit like Darwin Nunez from Liverpool. Last season was his adjusting season.<\/p>\n
“He’s a young striker coming to the league, everything about him fits the Premier League perfectly but it didn’t go as well as he would of liked.<\/p>\n
“But I think this season we’ll see a different player for Liverpool. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens with Hojlund although I’d like him to have a better season than that obviously.<\/p>\n
“He may well do but it will take time to adjust. The attributes are there but you’re going to be paying big.”<\/p>\n
Hojlund is a graduate from the academy of FC Copenhagen in his native Denmark and only joined Atalanta from Austrian club Sturm Graz last summer. The center forward made his international debut last September and has gone on to score six goals in his four starts since, including a hat-trick against Finland in March.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"