Man Utd star comes out swinging at Rasmus Hojlund critics: ‘He could define an era at United’
Veteran Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has defended Rasmus Hojlund’s slow start to life at Old Trafford and also explained why he grabbed the striker by his shirt against Arsenal earlier in the season.
The 20-year-old frontman swapped Atalanta for Manchester in a somewhat surprising £72million switch over the summer but has struggled to live up to that price tag so far, netting just once in the Premier League in 15 appearances.
And that goal took until Boxing Day to arrive as he netted in the 3-2 comeback win over Aston Villa. However, he was unable to immediately add to that strike after being ruled out of the New Year loss to Nottingham Forest through illness.
Life in the Champions League was different for Hojlund though as he netted five times as United finished bottom of their group and ended up crashing out of Europe completely.
And Casemiro has been impressed by Hojlund’s attitude, believing that he has a big future ahead of him.
The Brazilian also revealed why he grabbed Hojlund by the collar and passionately yelled at him in a 3-1 loss at Arsenal back in early September.
Hojlund can be a ‘great player’ for United
Speaking to the club’s official website, Casemiro, who continues to be linked with a move away from the club, said: “At the end of the day, he’s just a kid, so we shouldn’t be putting a lot of pressure on him.
“A lot of people think that he should be coming in and scoring 30-odd goals right away. He’s still young and this is his first season in the Premier League.
“Regarding the footage you mentioned [when Casemiro grabbed Hojlund by the shirt], I was really happy with his attitude!
“The thing is, it’s really difficult when you come on in such a demanding game, as games against Arsenal are.
“When he entered the fray he contributed a lot, changing our dynamic, so I tried to express to him just how I was feeling.
A Stretford End winner doesn’t get much sweeter than this 🤌
Rasmus Hojlund wins our December Goal of the Month! ☄️#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 6, 2024
“He’s definitely playing better in every game and he’s working really hard. Rasmus is a dedicated lad and he’s keen to kick on.
“He’ll be a great player for this club and, with the ambitions he has, he could define an era at Manchester United.”
Hojlund has now shaken off his illness and is now in line to make his FA Cup bow when United head to Wigan on Monday evening.
Casemiro himself may even return to action in that game after returning to training this week.
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