Why Manchester United waited a year to sign Rasmus Hojlund and rejected Randal Kolo Muani
manchestereveningnews.co.ukIt was 3.30am on a warm summer's evening in Bergamo when Manchester United made the decisive breakthrough in their attempts to sign Rasmus Hojlund.
Having assessed their list of options in the transfer window, United made the 20-year-old Dane their top target for the striker position and were determined to wrap up a deal quickly with Atalanta.
After the pre-season friendly with Real Madrid in Houston on July 26, football director John Murtough left United's US tour and flew to Italy to lead the club's negotiating team. ALSO READ: Ten Hag explains how United teammates can help Hojlund score more goals ALSO READ: Fights in training, sharing cake and games in the basement - Meet the Hojlund brothers United ended up paying £72million for Hojlund, with £64million of that up-front, but the deal was concluded during a long day of talks between the two clubs.
The United delegation arrived at Atalanta's training ground in mid-afternoon for face-to-face talks and by late the same evening the Serie A side hadn't budged from a demand for €90million, but the deal was eventually concluded in the early hours of the morning and by Saturday, July 28, the day of United's final day in San Diego, news broke the striker was set to sign.
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