Having already enjoyed great success signing players from Old Trafford, Napoli are now reportedly working on a 2026 deal for another Manchester United ace.
Hojlund thrives at Naples
It’s a rotten case of déjà vu for Man United, but the reality is that one of their struggling players is thriving again at Napoli.
Last season, it was Scott McTominay, who even earned himself a Ballon d’Or nomination, and this time, it’s Rasmus Hojlund, who found his golden touch away from Manchester.
The Dane has been in electric form since joining Napoli, while United’s big signing Benjamin Sesko is only gradually starting to find his feet after scoring twice in his last two games.
Speaking about the £66million man, Ruben Amorim told reporters after scoring in a comfortable win over Sunderland last time out:
“The most important thing is to win matches.
“It will give confidence to everyone in the team. Of course, he was eager to score his first goal. What I like most about Ben is that even when things are difficult for him with the ball, he works hard every minute of the match. That’s the most important thing at the moment.”
Although Hojlund’s sudden rise in form may seem frustrating from afar, United should be more than happy with Sesko’s departure. Naples, meanwhile, doesn’t look like it’s going to disappear any time soon. Reports now suggest the Italian giants are already working on a 2026 deal to sign another Man United star.
Napoli already working on a deal with Mainoo
According to Italian journalist Emanuele Cammaroto, Napoli are already working on signing Mainoo during the January transfer window and are waiting to see if the midfielder is available to finalize a loan move.
“TThe strong temptation is to sign Mainoo”, said the journalist to Napolimagazine live on Radio Punto Zero, via Area Napoli.
“But here we need to understand if United are open to a loan with an option to buy. The parties are working on it.”
The Carrington graduate was very open about his desire to go on loan this summer, only for Amorim to deny him the chance and instead tell him to fight for his place. Since then, however, Mainoo has not started a single Premier League match.
Previously dubbed ‘special’ by Paul Scholes, the 20-year-old will be desperate for the game time Napoli could offer him. Like everyone else, he would have noticed their impact on Hojlund and McTominay and may want to follow suit in the new year.
That said, former Man United scout Mick Brown still believes Mainoo is ready to replace Bruno Fernandes if he leaves for Saudi Arabia in the near future.
He told Football Insider: “It seems to me that Mainoo is seen as the ideal choice to take his place, as the manager has made it clear that he sees them as competition for the same role.”
