Rasmus Hojlund potential shirt number at Manchester United

• Rasmus Hojlund is joining Premier League side Manchester United from Atalanta
• The striker is expected to break into the first team for Erik Ten Hag’s side
• We take a look at his potential shirt number at Manchester United this coming season

Manchester United is on the brink of securing Rasmus Hojlund as their third summer signing, following a significant breakthrough in negotiations with Atalanta over the transfer fee. The 20-year-old forward, who joined Atalanta last year, has displayed immense potential, netting 10 goals in 34 appearances despite sharing minutes with more experienced players. United is ready to pay a guaranteed £64 million (€75 million), along with additional add-ons worth £8.5 million (€10 million) to secure his services.

Earlier, Atalanta had rejected three offers from Manchester United, with the highest bid reaching £50 million. However, personal terms for a proposed five-year contract had already been agreed with Hojlund, who has been keen on making the switch to Old Trafford this summer.

In their pursuit of Hojlund, Atalanta left the young talent out of the squad that faced Bournemouth in a pre-season friendly. They have also prepared for his potential departure by signing El Bilal Toure from Almeria as his replacement.

READ; Rasmus Hojlund: Is he the answer for Manchester United?

Erik ten Hag, renowned for his ability to develop and nurture young talents during his time at Ajax, has been instrumental in United’s pursuit of Hojlund. The English club has been in need of a new central striker ever since the departures of Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo within a few months of each other. Hojlund’s raw potential presents an attractive option for United, as he comes at a fraction of the cost compared to more established goal scorers like Harry Kane or Victor Osimhen.

Assuming no unforeseen issues arise, the deal is expected to be finalized soon, making Hojlund Manchester United’s third signing this summer. He will join the ranks of Mason Mount and Andre Onana, who have already made the move to Old Trafford during this transfer window.

Rasmus Hojlund history on shirt number

Rasmus Hojlund wore shirt number 17 during his time at Atalanta and might get the number at Manchester United. | PHOTO: SKY |

Hojlund does not have a strong attachment to a specific shirt number, as his young career has involved several moves.

Initially, he wore the number 45 jersey when breaking into FC Copenhagen’s first team in 2020, a number often associated with strikers due to its numerical sum (4+5=9). In the following season, he switched to number 28.

During his time at Sturm Graz in Austria, Hojlund donned the number 9 jersey, and upon joining Atalanta, he wore number 17, both of which he had previously used in Copenhagen’s youth ranks.

Representing Denmark, Hojlund has started to establish himself as number 11, and since his senior debut last year, he has also worn numbers 20 and 21 for the national team.

Available shirt numbers at Manchester United

As things stand, there are limited available shirt numbers for first-team players at Manchester United. With numbers 1 and 4 not typically suited for strikers, only 13 and 15 are currently vacant below 30.

However, more numbers could become available depending on the club’s transfer activities before the Premier League deadline for squad numbers. Reports indicate that talks are progressing for the potential sale of Fred to Galatasaray, which could open up number 17.

Anthony Martial’s future is uncertain due to consistent fitness issues, and the club has yet to decide on Mason Greenwood’s situation. If either or both players leave, it could free up numbers 9 and 11 for Hojlund, but any such moves would need to happen sooner rather than later.