To give Rasmus Hojlund, a $83 million striker, greater confidence, Man Utd should pass the ball more often, according to former player Ruud Gullit.

While Hojlund has scored three goals in just two Champions League games this season, he has not scored in six Premier League games combined. The 20-year-old striker demonstrated his goal-scoring prowess with Denmark by scoring seven goals in eight Euro 2024 qualifying matches. He hasn’t had many opportunities at Man Utd, though.

Gullit is not happy that Hojlund is starving for the ball, because he believes that every team needs to create conditions for strikers to score. “If Hojlund starts scoring goals, he will be more confident,” the Dutch player said on October 22. “But Man Utd players do not find Hojlund on the field often, even though he is often in a favorable position. Man Utd players are too hungry to score, and find ways to score from all angles.”

Hojlund on September 16, 2023, during the Premier League game between Manchester United and Brighton at Old Trafford. Image: Reuters

In 1987 and 1988, Gullit took home the Golden Ball and Silver Ball awards. He is a Milan player who, with fellow countrymen Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard in the midfield, won the C1 Cup twice in a row in 1989 and 1990. Basten is regarded as the greatest striker in history thanks to his three Golden Ball victories.

Gullit continued, saying he always passed the ball even when he had an opportunity to score because he used to play alongside strikers like Van Basten. Van Basten will undoubtedly score if I pass. I’m probably not going to score if I shot. Thus, naturally, I go with the pass option,” the 61-year-old former midfield player stated.

Hojlund, who is sixth on the team after Donny van de Beek, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Antony, and Bruno Fernandes, averaged 2.4 shots per ninety minutes in the Premier League this season. Hojlund has around half as many opportunities as strikers on some other teams, such as Darwin Nunez at Liverpool.

Hojlund will play his hometown team, Copenhagen, at Old Trafford in the third round of the Champions League group stage. Man Utd needed to win to maintain any chance of making it to the knockout stage after losing their opening two games.

Hojlund was born on February 4, 2003, in Copenhagen, Denmark. He played football for the Copenhagen team as a child and later moved to Austria to play for Sturm Graz. After netting 12 goals in 21 games for Sturm Graz, he signed a 19 million dollar contract to join Atalanta in the summer of 2022. Despite having only nine goals in 32 Serie A games the previous season, Hojlund’s ability to choose his spots, take advantage of gaps in the opposition’s defense, and finish with both feet earned him a High value rating.

Hojlund signed a deal with Man Utd that expires in 2028 after being acquired by the team from Atalanta this summer for 83 million USD in upfront costs and 11 million USD in add-ons.