February 2nd 2025.
Ruben Amorim's start as the new boss of Manchester United has been a rocky one, with six losses in his first 12 Premier League games. Former United defender John Sivebaek didn't hold back in his criticism of one particular player, calling him a "completely hopeless boy among men."
Despite making it to the Europa League last-16 and knocking Arsenal out of the FA Cup, United has been struggling in the Premier League this season. Amorim's team has already suffered six losses, and they could drop even further in the standings if they are defeated by Crystal Palace this Sunday.
The team's forwards have received a lot of criticism, especially Rasmus Hojlund. The young striker, who was transferred from Atalanta for a whopping £72million, has only managed to score twice in 18 Premier League appearances. There have even been reports that he is essentially on trial until the end of the season and will be sold in the summer if he doesn't improve.
Sivebaek, also a Dane, sympathizes with Hojlund's situation, but that didn't stop him from harshly criticizing the young player for his poor performance in the 3-1 win over Southampton in January.
"He should never have started [against Southampton]. Apart from one good move where he set up Garnacho, he was completely hopeless again. A boy among men," Sivebaek told Ekstra Bladet.
"It's clear that he's struggling, but it's also a difficult situation for such a young player. There are high expectations for him to be the new Haaland, and that's a lot of pressure for someone so young. Plus, he's playing in a team that's not functioning well, so it's not entirely his fault that he's not performing. However, I do see that he's putting in a lot of effort."
Amorim has reportedly put Hojlund on trial until the end of the season, which means the young striker will have to prove himself if he wants to stay at Old Trafford. United has been linked with other potential replacements, such as Mathys Tel, but another former player, Rio Ferdinand, believes Hojlund could have a future at the club if he had an experienced striker to learn from and develop under.
"I feel like because Hojlund cost £70m, we're expecting him to be the finished product already. Unfortunately, that's not the case," Ferdinand said.
"He's a young striker, and usually at that age, they have someone to learn from. But Hojlund doesn't have anyone to learn from. A big part of recruitment is bringing in young, talented players, but there also needs to be a focus on who they can learn from on the job."
This article was first published on January 23, 2025.
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