Rasmus Hojlund ‘isn’t anywhere close’ to Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez, says Steve Nicol

Incoming Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has completed his move from Atalanta in a deal worth €75m (£64m) plus £10m (£8m) in add-ons. The 20-year-old is highly rated but has played just 87 first team games in his young career so far, scoring 27 goals.

The Denmark international is set to arrive without much top level experience and without a prolific goal-scoring record behind him, and will be under pressure to perform early on in his Manchester United career.

Nunez arrived at Liverpool last year for an even more costly sum of £85m after he scored 48 goals in 85 games for Benfica over the previous two seasons. The Uruguay international had a mixed first season with the Reds, scoring 15 goals in 42 games, but Reds legend Steve Nicol believes he is far superior to Hojlund at this stage and struggles to see why United have splashed the cash on the youngster.

Steve Nicol on Darwin Nunez and Rasmus Hojlund

‘Nunez didn’t get the run of the games in the team that Hojlund got, for a start. I don’t think Hojlund is anywhere close to where Nunez is right now,’ Nicol, who won four league titles with Liverpool, told ESPN.

‘Hojlund, for £75m, I’m sorry, I don’t see where the £75m comes from. I see the £80m they spent on Nunez. I can see why they would do that. Just because strength, power, the way he runs in behind. Yes, the one piece of the puzzle that’s missing is that composure in front of goal. But talk about get in position to score, Hojlund doesn’t do that. He certainly hasn’t done it yet.’

Nunez and Hojlund Compared

Nicol hadn’t quite got his figures right and it is fair to say that few would expect Hojlund to shine immediately in the Premier League, being four years younger than Nunez.

Nunez has already proven himself in a top European league and has shown he can score goals at a high level, whereas Hojlund is yet to do so. It will be interesting to see how the two players compare over the next few years.

Hojlund will have to prove himself at Manchester United and show he can live up to his hefty price tag. He will be under pressure to perform early on in his Manchester United career and it will be interesting to see if he can live up to the expectations.

Conclusion

It is clear that Steve Nicol believes Darwin Nunez is far superior to Rasmus Hojlund at this stage and it will be interesting to see how the two players compare over the next few years. Nunez has already proven himself in a top European league and has shown he can score goals at a high level, whereas Hojlund is yet to do so. It remains to be seen if Hojlund can live up to his hefty price tag and prove himself at Manchester United.