Manchester United forward considers himself better than Benjamin Sesko despite being deemed surplus to requirements: Reports

Manchester United outcast Rasmus Hojlund reportedly believes that he is better than the Red Devils' new signing Benjamin Sesko. Reports claim that the Danish forward was hoping his strong showing in training would convince Ruben Amorim to re-integrate him into the club's project.

Hojlund joined United from Serie A side Atalanta for a reported £72 million fee in the summer of 2023. Despite the hefty price tag, he was not able to establish himself as a regular starter, often drawing flak for his inconsistent performances.

The 22-year-old bagged 26 goals and six assists in 95 appearances for Manchester United across all competitions. This summer, the club's hierarchy decided to replenish their attacking stocks, adding Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Sesko to their ranks.

The Slovenian marksman was the Red Devils' biggest signing of the window, signing from RB Leipzig for a reported £66.3 million fee plus £7.4 million in add-ons. He had an impressive record for the Bundesliga side, with 39 goals and eight assists in 87 appearances across all competitions.

With Sesko expected to be a direct replacement for him, Hojlund was consistently left out of Amorim's matchday squads. Eventually, he was loaned to defending Serie A champions Napoli on transfer deadline day (September 1).

A report from The Athletic (via Metro) claims that the Dane has been left 'heartbroken' over his exit from Manchester United. The report adds that he 'considers himself better' than Sesko, who has failed to find the back of the net in his four appearances (one start) for the club thus far.

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🚨 Rasmus Hojlund’s motivation to stay was his belief that he’s better than Benjamin Sesko. He thought proving this in training might make Amorim reconsider his departure, despite Sesko’s arrival. [@lauriewhitwell, @TheAthleticFC]

Hojlund's deal reportedly contains an obligation to buy worth £38 million if Napoli qualify for the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League.

"He'll need to adapt" - Former Manchester United first-team coach draws parallel between Benjamin Sesko and Rasmus Hojlund

Dutch coach Rene Meulensteen outlined the similarities between Manchester United's moves for Benjamin Sesko and Rasmus Hojlund.

The 61-year-old, who was a first-team coach at Old Trafford between 2007 and 2013, highlighted the Slovenian marksman's incredible potential. However, he asserted that the 22-year-old still needs to 'adapt' to the demands of the Premier League.

Meulensteen drew parallels between Sesko and Hojlund, who was also signed after an impressive campaign with Atalanta in the 2022-23 season. Speaking to Poker Strategy, the Dutchman, who is now the assistant coach for the Iraq national team, said (via Metro):

"Manchester United (signing) Sesko is basically exactly what they did with Hojlund. If you look at Hojlund, he joined Atalanta and performed well alongside the rest of the team and then joined United. The same can be said for Sesko – the Bundesliga is a very different league to the Premier League, so he'll need to adapt. Has Sesko got potential? 100 per cent, but he's still young and developing and he isn't the finished article."

Up next, Sesko and Manchester United will be seen in action in a mouth-watering derby clash against Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday (September 14).