Rasmus Hojlund insists he is not bothered about his £72million price tag at Manchester United, but is shying away from comparisons with Erling Haaland.
United’s summer signing will face City star Haaland in the Old Trafford derby on Sunday in a shootout between the two Scandinavian strikers.
However, 20-year-old Hojlund is almost three years younger than Haaland, 23, and new to the Premier League, so he is understandably reluctant to make any boasts about eclipsing the Norwegian international just yet. Haaland’s career goals tally for club and country is 223 compared to the Dane’s total of 37.
‘I don’t want to be compared to him,’ said Hojlund. ‘He is incredible and probably the best striker in the world right now. We can keep that on the low for now, but I hope I can improve and then we will see what I am capable of.’
Asked for his favourite Manchester derby memory, the boyhood United fan replied: ‘The bicycle kick from Wayne Rooney, of course! Everybody remembers that, don’t they?
Rasmus Hojlund has insisted he is not concerned by his price-tag after Man United paid £72m for him this summer
Hojlund has also made it clear he doesn’t want to be compared to Man City’s Erling Haaland
‘I’m looking forward to it. It is always special to play a rival and if we win the game, we can get closer to the top, so it would be nice.’
The former FC Copenhagen and Sturm Graz striker is not lacking in confidence, and has no problem with the fact that United paid Atalanta £72m for him in the summer.
‘I know my worth,’ added Hojlund, who has scored three goals in 10 games. ‘I know I have to perform every day because I play for Manchester United. In the end, I am only 20-years-old and I’m not the finished article yet.
‘I still have a lot to improve and I am getting there slowly. I reckon I have had a fine start to the season and now we have to keep building and the goals will come in the Premier League.
‘I have always had the self-belief and I want to improve every day, and that is the reason why I am here. Hopefully I can keep my streak going upwards.’
Hojlund helped United beat his old club Copenhagen in the Champions League at Old Trafford on Tuesday night when he was substituted just three minutes before his younger brother Oscar came on for the Danes.
There was a nice moment afterwards when Oscar left to get on the Copenhagen team bus and Rasmus broke off from his post-match interviews to tell his brother to wait.
‘But the bus leaves now!’ protested Oscar. ‘It can wait for 10 minutes, mum and dad are here,’ smiled Rasmus who didn’t manage to make it outside in time.
The two brothers didn’t see each other beforehand until the two teams lined up in the tunnel. ‘We haven’t been allowed to talk to each other,’ said the United player. ‘I wrote enough messages to Oscar before the match that he should remember to be ready from the start, and he was. It was great to see him come on.
Hojlund praised his former club FC Copenhagen for pushing United all the way on Tuesday
‘I wish we could have some time together, but it doesn’t work that way. However, I was in the dressing-room to say hello to all the boys.
‘I would rather it was a team other than Copenhagen that lost, but when I play for Manchester United, it’s very simple. Then of course we must win.
‘Copenhagen weren’t afraid to play, they showed a lot of courage and good quality on the ball. But it’s also a game we have to win. We are Manchester United so we will end up with the right result.’
Not surprisingly for a younger brother, Oscar didn’t agree with his sibling. ‘We were clearly the best in the first half, so it’s a shame that we won’t get anything home from here,’ said the 18-year-old whose injury-time goal attempt led to the penalty that was saved by Andre Onana as United won 1-0 to register their first Champions League points of the season.
