The first signing of the Sir Jim Ratcliffe era may be typical of what to expect from Manchester United this summer – buying into potential.
It becomes a pattern when considering the interest in 21-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite, 18-year-old Leny Yoro and 23-year-old Joshua Zirkzee. Even Matthijs de Ligt does not turn 25 until next month.
It’s also notable that three of the four players exempt from sales this summer – Rasmus Hojlund, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho – are all under the age of 21. This, then, does make the pending sale of Willy Kambwala slightly puzzling given his solid showings in his debut season.
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However, United’s tight financial position means more headspace within spending rules needs to be created, and Kambwala is expected to make a tidy profit. The fragility within Premier League constraints means United will not be signing one singular big marquee name this window.
Zirkzee has only scored 14 goals in 58 games over the past two seasons but United will fork out around £38m for his arrival in the hope that he will push Hojlund on to reach his own full potential.
The Dutchman is of a similar physique to Hojlund, albeit perhaps more mature when it comes to playing dynamically. “I’m not a pure centre-forward,” he told Italian media back in February.
“I said a year ago that I liked playing with an attacking partner. But [ex-Bologna boss Thiago] Motta transformed me into a nine-and-a-half [role]. I’m not a [Marko] Arnautovic type, I like to come forward after playing the ball and help the team. And score goals.”
Hojlund has so far shown to be more of a box player, where staying within the width of the goal has brought him more success – albeit he also displayed he does have pace in his locker during his breakaway goal against Galatasaray in October.
The Dane finished as United’s top scorer last season, netting 16 times in a campaign that included seven goals in six league games from Boxing Day to early February.
However, injury setbacks stunted his momentum and he only really got back into form at the end of term, scoring in United’s final two Premier League matches.
Hojlund was also one of the casualties of United’s frustrating play last season. If there was one word to describe it, it would not be ‘fun’. But Zirkzee hopes to change that.
He added earlier this year: “I want people to have fun when they come to see me. But more than individually, it is better to impress the stadium as a team, in the way of playing. Bologna has done it more than once this year. Being creative is important.”