This week marked the culmination of Manchester United’s summer reshuffling process with the completion of an agreement for their third significant acquisition of the season. In addition to Mason Mount and Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund, who is leaving Atalanta, will join the Red Devils as a new striker.

The Dane will represent the most expensive acquisition of the transfer window for Manchester United, bringing the club’s summer expenditures to over £170 million. Hojlund would rank as the sixth most expensive acquisition in United’s history at a reported £72 million, surpassing only Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba, Antony, Harry Maguire, and Jadon Sancho in value.

Considering that Hojlund scored just nine goals in Serie A during his final season, with twelve of his 32 appearances coming off the substitute bench, the fee will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows. Hojlund has been acquired for more than just his prowess in scoring; Ten Hag is obviously interested in a target man who can anchor the line and collaborate effectively with players such as Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho.

As per Italian sources, Hojlund’s salary in Manchester is anticipated to be eight times greater than what he earned in Bergamo. Previously, he earned a meager €600,000 annually at Atalanta. This is an enormous salary increase.

Weekly compensation at Manchester United is estimated to be in the neighborhood of £80,000 for Hojlund. It is anticipated that there will be additional performance-based incentives, and the agreement is for a period of five years with an additional year of probation.

Should Hojlund achieve success in the Premier League, a new contract with the club may not be out of the question for him anytime soon. Despite the substantial salary increase, his probable contract with Manchester United would still remunerate him substantially below that of several high-profile players in the division, some of whom earn in excess of £300,000 per week.

While the striker is anticipated to be the most expensive acquisition for Manchester United this summer, his remuneration will not reflect that fact immediately. For instance, Mason Mount is rumored to earn £250,000 per week on contract, which is more than three times his initial salary of £250,000. This is in addition to his base salary.

A number of Manchester United players earn more than Mount, including Sancho, Raphael Varane, and Casemiro, who are among their highest-earning players. In contrast, Hojlund’s initial salary for the first team of Manchester United will be among the lowest.

This is due in part to his youth and relative lack of experience. While Hojlund has demonstrated promise in Italy and garnered attention with his outstanding performances for the Danish national team, he has yet to establish himself as a viable option at the highest level. Prior to extending a more favourable contract, United will require unequivocal proof of his capability to thrive in the Premier League.

Hojlund’s comparatively modest starting salary, in contrast to the majority of his colleagues, contributes to the overall affordability of the transaction and partially offsets the substantial transfer fee.