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Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel has praised striker Rasmus Hojlund and believes his former club have a special player on their hands.
Schmeichel's comments come after Hojlund scored once again in the Red Devils' 2-1 win at Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, February 11. It means the Dane has now scored in each of his last five league games, becoming the second youngest player to ever do so in the English top flight behind Nicolas Anelka.
Against Villa, Hojlund displayed fantastic predatory skills in the box to get himself unmarked while staying onside to volley home Harry Maguire's flick from a corner. The 21-year-old now has 11 goals in 29 matches across competitions for United, having joined for a reported fee of £72 million from Atalanta last summer.
During a conversation with talkSPORT, Schmeichel provided some insights on his compatriot's career trajectory so far, saying (as quoted by United in Focus):
“It was only two-and-a-half years ago that he was in the Copenhagen squad. (Copenhagen) signed another striker and they told him to go back to the Under 19s. Sturm Graz came in for him and said, ‘We’ve got to give you first team football.’ He took it.”
The former goalkeeper, who played 395 times for Manchester United and won 15 titles with them between 1991 and 1999, added about Hojlund:
“And the first seven months there, nine months at Atalanta after, and now he’s at Manchester United. It’s gone really, really quick for him. But at no point have I been in any doubt that this lad is the real deal. He’s got everything in his locker. He poaches goals, his movement…
“I’ve seen this for a year now since he broke into the Danish team. You know when you see something which is very, very special that doesn’t come along very often? That’s what I’ve seen in him.”
Hojlund made his debut for Denmark in September 2022. He has since played 10 matches for his nation, recording seven goals and an assist.
"I think he will be a superstar" - Paul Merson praises Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund
Peter Schmeichel wasn't the only ex-footballer praising Rasmus Hojlund for his performance over the weekend.
In his latest column for Sky Sports, former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson also lauded the Manchester United striker for his goal against Aston Villa, writing:
“In those first 10 games, when he was going without a goal, he was snatching at everything. And he's got [confidence]. If that ball [for Hojlund's opening goal] at Villa comes in at the start of the season, he would've hit it as hard as he could. But he places it under the goalkeeper.
“He's a good player, I think he will be a superstar.”
Victory over Villa took Manchester United to within six points of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League standings. They will next take on Luton Town away from home on Sunday, February 18.
