Manchester United have been told they are making a major mistake by allowing Rasmus Højlund to leave permanently this summer.
Club legend Peter Schmeichel believes the striker still has the potential to become “absolutely fantastic,” despite the club’s decision to let him complete a £38m move to Napoli.
United are closing in on a third-place finish in the Premier League under interim boss Michael Carrick, having already secured UEFA Champions League qualification with a win over rivals Liverpool.
While the club are expected to spend heavily again—this time focusing on midfield reinforcements under sporting director Jason Wilcox and recruitment chief Christopher Vivell—several players are also set to depart. Names like Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee, Andre Onana and Casemiro are all expected to move on.
However, it is Højlund’s situation that has drawn the most criticism. The Danish forward scored 14 goals in 41 appearances during his loan spell at Napoli, who agreed to make the move permanent if they qualified for the Champions League.
With Antonio Conte’s side sitting second in Serie A and on the verge of qualification, the deal is set to go through—effectively ending Højlund’s United career.
Schmeichel believes that outcome is unfortunate, insisting the striker was never given a fair chance after his £72m move from Atalanta in 2023.
“It’s a bit of a shame because I like Højlund and think he could have been absolutely fantastic,” Schmeichel said.
“But I don’t think he wants to come back, and I don’t think he can because Napoli have already qualified.”
Former United midfielder Nicky Butt echoed those concerns, arguing the club placed too much responsibility on a young striker adapting to English football.
He also warned that the same mistake could be repeated with Benjamin Šeško, who has scored 11 league goals this season but may face similar pressure if relied upon too heavily.
“They brought in a young player with no Premier League experience and expected him to carry Manchester United,” Butt said.
“I’m worried they might do the same with Šeško.”
Meanwhile, United are still expected to strengthen their attack, with Harry Kane reportedly set to arrive from Bayern Munich as part of the club’s summer rebuild.
As the overhaul continues, questions remain over whether letting Højlund go will prove a costly decision in the long run.
