Report: Inter React to Man Utd’s Rasmus Hojlund Transfer Ultimatum | OneFootball

Inter’s interest in Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund has been put on “standby” according to a new report.

The defeated Champions League finalists reportedly reached out to representatives of the Danish striker at the start of June. Inter are a rarity in elite modern football by playing with two centre-forwards every game, ensuring that they need more options through the middle than most clubs.

Club captain Lautaro Martínez and the bustling Marcus Thuram are undisputedly first choice, but there is room to bolster the depth behind that duo. Marko Arnautovic will not have his contract renewed, while Mehdi Taremi’s impact has been limited.

It also remains to be seen whether the young Esposito pairing—Pio and Sebastiano—are kept at San Siro or loaned out for more game time in the coming season.

Højlund’s undiluted brand of energy and exuberance, coupled with his experience of Serie A, made him an intriguing prospect for Inter. Yet, that initial interest has cooled according to Fabrizio Romano.

Højlund has struggled to perform consistently. / IMAGO/Paul Marriott

United are supposedly demanding a full, permanent sale of Højlund, while Inter are said to favour a loan with option to buy. The Red Devils have tumbled down that route before, loaning out unwanted duo Marcus Rashford and Antony last term. Even though both players excelled for Aston Villa and Real Betis respectively, their lofty wages have thus far priced them out of permanent transfers.

Ruben Amorim’s side are so desperate to rid themselves of these high earners that they are even considering paying them to leave.

It would reportedly take a transfer fee in the region of just £38.5 million ($51.8 million) to prise Højlund away from Old Trafford. The hard-running forward set United back potentially as much as £72 million ($97 million) when he joined from Atalanta in 2023 and could represent one of the biggest loses in the club’s muddied recent transfer history.

Napoli were also thought to be interested in Højlund, although their focus appears to have shifted towards Liverpool’s erratic No. 9 Darwin Núñez. United’s forward, for his part, has no intention of leaving Old Trafford. “I have a contract until 2030,” he huffed earlier this summer, “so I expect to play for Manchester United.”

If United don’t become more flexible with their demands, Højlund’s prediction will surely come true.