As soon as Rasmus Hojlund’s £72 million transfer from Atalanta to Manchester United is complete, he will receive his official shirt number.
The Dane quickly through the first portion of his physical at United’s Carrington training facility after arriving in England on Tuesday. Erik ten Hag, the manager of the Red Devils, appealed to his bosses to allow him to recruit a striker during the summer transfer window, and Hojlund, 20, is the answer to his prayers.
Hojlund’s aspirations of donning a legendary shirt number at Old Trafford, though, appear to be dashed. Mason Mount, who joined Manchester United from Chelsea this summer, will wear the legendary No. 7 jersey. Anthony Martial will continue to wear No. 9, and Marcus Rashford will continue to wear No. 10. The Denmark international may have to select a less illustrious number.
Even Ryan Giggs’ No. 11 jersey, made famous by the club great, is still worn by Mason Greenwood. After the Crown Prosecution Service withdrew attempted rape, assault, and coercive control charges, the forward’s future will be decided by the results of an internal investigation. This will be announced in the following two weeks.
Hojlund initially wore Nos. 45 and 28 when a senior player for hometown powerhouses Copenhagen. He later transferred to Austrian team Strum Graz and wore No. 9. That is until Atalanta acquired him in a move last summer for €17 million (£14.6 million) and gave him the No. 17 jersey.
That was the same number that he wore within Copenhagen’s academy alongside No.11 and 9. It likely holds sentimental value for Hojlund but United already has a No.17, Fred.