Why Tottenham should sign wantaway Man Utd #9 to solve attacking problems – Opinion

The 22-year-old has been subject to links with a move away from Old Trafford this summer following the arrival of Benjamin Sesko at M16, and this is where Daniel Levy can put the Lilywhites’ name in contention for his signature.

We know how the Dane head coach uses his forwards from his years at Gtech Community Stadium, where he always preferred to have strikers who have that physical presence but also have that mobility about their movements.

Start thinking of Ivan Toney at his peak and how aggressive he was going into duels and yet how clever he was with back-to-goal play. Playing under Frank, he was also relentless in closing down defenders.

And Hojlund fits that mould almost perfectly.

How can Hojlund fit in at Tottenham?

The Dane head coach likes to accommodate pressing triggers in his structures where the forward is more of a first man press to force the opponents into deploying wide centre-backs, so this is where the system follows and tries to rush the opponents into passes. Given the speed and work rate that we have seen from Hojlund in his time at M16, it makes him a natural fit for that role.

But there is more…

Frank also likes to have his #9 making those early and direct runs into space to stretch the pitch. And the 2003-born excels at timing runs beyond the last defender (which could come as a massive asset with the likes of Dejan Kulusevski, Tel or Brennan Johnson supplying balls in behind).

Moreover, the North Londoners could be looking to use more variety in their attacking build-up while trying to put together a complement of crosses and set-piece routines. And given the height and athleticism of Hojlund, he would fit right into it.

And then Hojlund’s ability to hold up the ball and bring wide forwards into sequences would be crucial in those transitions.

Strengths

The 22-year-old fits the long-term rebuild, and the Lilywhites could get five or six prime years from him before even thinking about any possible resale (like with Harry Kane). And then he is really good with his high presses and has that quick-transition style.

Moreover, he has already been leading the line for a while for Denmark, and while he has not yet got going in the English top tier, he now has that experience in the Premier League, and he could be ready to take strides in his development in the upcoming years, especially under someone like Thomas Frank, who has that capacity to get the best out of young players and bring them to their potential.

Weaknesses

He would be a massive gamble given his performances for the Manchester Reds and then a physical risk as well given that the 22-year-old has been having niggling injuries every now and then.

Author Opinion

If Tottenham can sign Hojlund for a fee which is closer to £30–40m and then Levy ends up using the money saved on adding another creative midfielder, then the Dane would be a superb signing to lead the attack for a long time to come. But if he comes at a premium fee which works along with £50m+ and limits what else Frank can do this window, then is it a pointless risk to take?