Crisis? Not for us – Erik ten Hag can see Man Utd progress after Chelsea win
Dwight Yorke is unconvinced Rasmus Hojlund was the right striker to sign in the summer, admitting he didn’t know who the 20-year-old was before Erik ten Hag targeted him. The Manchester United icon has relayed fears that he could go down the same path as Anthony Martial by not living up to his potential.
Ten Hag sanctioned a £72million move from Atalanta after it became clear that Tottenham Hotspur would play hardball for Harry Kane.
Hojlund has showcased his sky-high potential in the Champions League, scoring five goals in as many Group A games despite United’s woes.
But the Denmark international is yet to score in 11 Premier League games, contributing to United’s attacking frustrations this term.
Alejandro Garnacho, with three, is Ten Hag’s only other forward with more than two goals in all competitions.
And while Yorke appreciates Hojlund’s promise, he believes he’s “way behind” the exceptional striker bracket featuring the likes of Erling Haaland and Kane.
“No. I don’t want to go too much into it, but, you know, you’ve got an unknown striker that wasn’t on the radar. I’d never heard of him until he came to United,” Yorke told AceOdds.
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“So I’m a little bit precarious about it. The fact that he may have all the potential, but you can’t ask a 20-year-old to come into United and sort of take charge.
“I think in the years to come, maybe he will develop into that type of player. But for him to carry the baton forward, he has got a long way to go. He’s still learning the game. He is 20 years of age.”
Rashford is enduring a woeful season, scoring just twice in 19 appearances after recording a career-best 30-goal 2022/23 campaign.
Meanwhile, £85m winger Antony has yet to consistently add goals or assists to his game, and Martial hasn’t been up to standard for years.
Yorke has criticised United’s management of the Frenchman since he arrived as a teenager in 2015, also naming Jesse Lingard as a player thwarted by the club’s treatment.
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He said: “I think they missed the boat with him [Martial]. And I’m going to be straight to the point.
“I think when you have a player at 26 or 27 going out on loan, you don’t send good players out on loan at 26 or 27. You send those players out when they’re young and trying to develop and get some game time.
“We [United] did it with Jesse Lingard and took him back. That was just a huge mistake. And I think the club messed up in both those circumstances, Jesse and Anthony Martial.
“That was never going to blossom. I thought when he first came, potential-wise, he looked like the real deal, but he hasn’t kicked on.”
There is a widespread belief that Hojlund will come good at Old Trafford, but the pressure on his shoulder will only increase every game he fails to find the net.
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