‘This will sound harsh’… Pundit suggests one Man United player is Championship level right now

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Tony Cascarino has suggested that Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund is a Championship-level player at the moment.

Speaking to The Times, the pundit discussed what has been a difficult start to life at Manchester United for the Dane.

Rasmus Hojlund completed a switch to Old Trafford from Atalanta over the summer for a fee worth £72 million.

The 20-year-old has put in some promising performances for United, particularly in the Champions League as he netted five times in six games. But the youngster is struggling to adapt to Premier League football and is yet to score in the competition.

Gary Neville even compared him to Darwin Nunez during United’s goalless draw at Anfield yesterday – a player who also struggled in his debut campaign at Liverpool last time out.

And while it’s still early days for Hojlund at Man United, Tony Cascarino feels he won’t get too much time to improve as the pressure ramps up on Erik ten Hag.

Cascarino suggests Hojlund is Championship level

Cascarino offered his verdict on Hojlund after yesterday’s draw at Anfield.

“I can’t believe Rasmus Hojlund hasn’t scored a Premier League goal yet,” the pundit said. “He joined Manchester United for £72 million, has started ten games and it’s almost Christmas.

“He’s only 20 years old and hopefully he turns out to be a good player, but I can’t remember a striker making a start like this to his United career.

“This will sound harsh, but he reminds me of a good Championship centre forward who battles away, fights for everything, not much pace… I’ve seen glimpses of quality but there haven’t been moments when I’ve come away thinking ‘He’ll get 20 goals’.

“As a manager you can’t wait too long for a striker to come good. I think of Roberto Soldado at Tottenham Hotspur.

“They gave him two seasons and the second was even worse than the first. It’s like a goalkeeper who keeps dropping it in the net — if you wait too long to move on, you’ll be sacked.”

Hojlund has shown he could become a top striker for United based on his performances in Europe. But at 20, it could be argued the responsibility of scoring regularly for a club like United shouldn’t rest solely on his shoulders. 

The Red Devils were linked with a host of attacking options over the summer, including the likes of Harry Kane.

Snapping up a talented young striker was always going to be a risky move for United and Hojlund needs time to settle in.

Of course, that’s easier said than done due to the pressure that comes with playing for the biggest club in England.

But you get the feeling that Hojlund would benefit from United bringing in a more experienced striker to relieve some of the pressure resting on his shoulders at the moment.