Rasmus Højlund: Unleashing Manchester United’s Next Striking Sensation
In this article, we delve deeper into Højlund’s playing style and his impact on the pitch.
In the world of football, young talents often draw comparisons to established superstars. Such has been the case for Rasmus Højlund, the 20-year old Danish striker who has drawn likening to the mighty Erling Haaland. At first glance, the similarities between Haaland and Rasmus Højlund are fairly obvious. These two bear uncanny resemblances — from their names to their long blonde hair, towering height of over six feet, powerful left foot, and a tenacious presence in the penalty area.
In a recent interview, Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini talked about Højlund’s similarities with the Manchester City robot:
“Højlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also the technical quality that is just remarkable. He still has so much margin for improvement, too. He has very similar characteristics to Haaland. He is so quick, he’s under 11 seconds over 100m and that’s not even trying very hard. Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity. I am convinced he’ll have a great career, he just gets stronger every day.”
When comparing Højlund to other strikers in the league, his 0.47 non-penalty xG per 90 chart places him an impressive 4th among all Serie A forwards. Only Osimhen and Lautaro Martinez stand as real outliers above him. Notably, his average shot quality, with an xG per shot of 0.18, ranks among the best in Serie A. Those underlying numbers suggest Højlund would be expected to score with one in every five attempts, making him a genuine and reliable goal threat on the field.
In the realm of exciting U23 forwards like Isak, Balogun, Moukoko, and the illustrious Haaland, Højlund stands tall with his impressive 0.47 non-penalty xG chart. When we factor in his non-penalty goal tally, it becomes evident that he is meeting expectations, as reflected by his proximity to the line passing through the origin. Hojlund’s performance is truly holding its own in this esteemed company.
Højlund, on so many of his goals, drops deep, holds up play, looks to do either of two things. One, he either passes the ball wide and makes a darting run into the box, instead of lingering on the edge of the box for a cutback. Alternatively, he carries the ball into the penalty area himself. The chart below shows how he does against some of the exciting U23 forwards. And surprisingly, he does a lot better than traditional strikers. He finds himself in the company of elite dribblers like Kvaratskhelia, Martinelli and Saka, to name a few, further highlighting his ball carrying abilities.
No Serie A player has received more progressive passes than Højlund’s 10.99. That shows his ability to receive the ball in tight central spaces and disorganize the opposition defenses. His work rate alone is worth a number of chances every match. This work rate is what gets players like Ronaldo and Haaland so many goals, and which is why so many of their goals appear to be easy tap-ins.
In terms of playing style, Gasperani has mostly played Højlund as part of a 3–5–2 or 3–4–3 system, paired with a strike partner. Last season, that partner was Lookman, who has undergone a transformation as a second striker and scored a career best 13 league goals. As a result, Højlund hasn’t emerged as a prolific goal scorer yet. When we look at his performance with Sturm Graz and Atalanta, he has averaged only 2.65 shots per 90 minutes, placing him in the 65th percentile. In contrast, Haaland stands out with nearly 4 shots per game, showcasing his ability to be a true goal-scoring threat.
In the recent international break, Højlund made the headlines for his performances for Denmark, scoring fives goals in two games — notably a hat-trick against Finland — to sit top of the Euro 2024 qualifying scoring charts.
Let’s have a look at how would he fit into the new look Manchester United side:
Erik Ten Hag recently said in an interview,
“We want to be the best transition team in the world. We want to surprise, we want to play dynamic, we want to play with speed, we want to play aggressive, out of a very good team spirit, because that is United.”
Erik Ten Hag’s vision for the team is clear — United aims to become the world’s finest transition team, surprising opponents with dynamic play and the acquisition of Højlund perfectly aligns with this philosophy. At his best, Højlund excels as a powerful ball carrier, capable of taking on defenders while maintaining his speed. His darting runs into the box, akin to Randal Kolo Muani’s impressive performances in the Bundesliga, make him an exciting prospect. Despite being only 20 years old, Højlund’s potential is evident, and regular playing time will only aid his development. While he has primarily played with a strike partner, it would be intriguing to see how he performs as a lone striker. Højlund will have to work more on his shot volume and his aerial presence. Despite being 6ft 3in, he often finds himself beaten by defenders in aerial duels — his 37.1% success rate ranks him quite low among Serie A forwards.
Joining the Premier League at a young age can be difficult, just ask Sancho. But Højlund has what it takes to be one of the elite strikers in the world.
The question remains: Can he achieve that status at United? All in all, the stage seems to be set for an exciting Haaland vs Højlund battle in the Manchester Derby.
