Manchester United legends are taking aim at the club’s handling of Rasmus Højlund, and the numbers in Italy give that criticism some weight. Peter Schmeichel called Napoli’s expected permanent move for the striker “a bit of a shame”, while Nicky Butt said United were wrong to ask a young player with no Premier League experience to carry the team. Højlund has scored 13 goals in 38 appearances for Napoli this season.
Why Schmeichel and Butt think United got it wrong
Schmeichel’s point is straightforward. “I think the deal is if Napoli qualify for the Champions League then they are obliged to sign Rasmus Hojlund permanently,” he said to metro.co.uk. “So that's a bit of a shame because I like Hojlund by the way and think he could have been absolutely fantastic.”
Butt was sharper. “What they did with Hojlund was wrong because they brought a young boy in who's not got any Premier League experience and asked him to carry Manchester United,” he said. He also warned: “I'm scared they're going to do that with Benjamin Šeško. I know Sesko has done really well of late but they still need to get another centre forward, we had four top players in that position.”
There is enough in Højlund’s United record to see why the old guard are uneasy. He scored 16 goals in his first season at United, then four in his second. That drop explains the criticism, but it does not erase what has happened in Italy this season.
Why Napoli look set to keep him
Napoli are second in Serie A with three games remaining. Schmeichel said the deal is triggered if they qualify for the Champions League, and the current table position makes that feel more like a live contract detail than a debate point.
Højlund’s season in Italy has been productive enough to support Napoli’s side of the argument. Thirteen goals in 38 appearances is not a rescue act, but it is a proper return for a striker United were happy to move on from. If Napoli do make the move permanent, United will be left with a familiar question about whether they judged the player, or the situation, too quickly.
Benjamin Šeško gives United a cleaner present-tense case for moving on. He has 11 Premier League goals this season, and Butt’s warning about overloading another young forward is the part of this story that still feels most relevant. The concern is not that Højlund was flawless in Manchester, it is that United may have asked too much of him too soon.
If Napoli finish the job, Højlund’s future looks settled, and United’s regret will sit alongside the question of whether they should have handled his first spell at the club differently.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
