- Hojlund, 21, arrived at Old Trafford last summer after moving to Atalanta for £72m
- He revealed surprise at the paparazzi who followed him and his girlfriend Laura.
- Have Chelsea offered Manchester United a way out of Erik ten Hag’s obscurity through the departure of Mauricio Pochettino? – Listen to the It’s all starting! Podcast
Rasmus Hojlund has admitted feeling “cursed” during his long wait for his first Premier League goal against Manchester United.
Signed from Atalanta for £72m last summer, the Danish striker felt the pressure to perform at Old Trafford from the start.
But despite goals in the Champions League, it took Hojlund 15 league games before completing a two-chance comeback to beat Aston Villa 3-2 on Boxing Day.
The 21-year-old has scored 16 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions during his debut campaign for United, with the FA Cup final against Manchester City taking place on Saturday.
“You feel incredible pressure when you’re at Manchester United,” he said. Tipsbladet in his native Denmark.
Rasmus Hojlund celebrates his first Premier League goal against Aston Villa
The Dane has revealed how life has transformed for him and his girlfriend Laura Sondergaard.
“It took me a little while to get started in the Premier League, but I think I’ve got back into it pretty well. I feel like I’ve found my rhythm.
“It was a frustrating moment before my first Premier League goal because I felt there was a lot of attention on it.
“But of course I understand that it is not impressive not to score a single goal in the first 14 Premier League games, but I felt that bad luck was on my side in the league games. Fortunately, it improved.
“When I scored against Aston Villa, I felt like the curse had lifted a little bit. It was a good day because I scored my first goal and we beat a very good team.
‘Personally, it’s been a good year for me and I’ve tried a lot of things. “I’ve played in the Premier League and the Champions League, and that’s something I’ve always dreamed of.”
Hojlund, who arrived at Old Trafford burdened with such an expensive transfer fee and needing to manage a back problem, had a good run after his breakthrough at Villa.
He scored seven goals in six consecutive games in the Premier League and FA Cup in January and February.
Hojlund completed the league season by scoring against Newcastle and Brighton, and his performances were positive in a difficult campaign for Erik ten Hag.
The chances did not diminish for Hojlund in Premier League action after he arrived for £72million.
But Hojlund has found his scoring touch now and has 16 goals this season in 42 games.
Off the field, it didn’t take long for the young striker to appreciate the intense scrutiny that comes with being a Manchester United player.
“I remember one of the first days when I was walking through the city with my girlfriend and there were paparazzi photographers on the street,” he said.
“I thought, ‘Wow, do people really care to see pictures of me walking?'”
“There are eyes on you all the time, on and off the field, because the club is so big. It takes some getting used to.
“I always wanted to get here, and it’s not that it’s not fantastic, but it definitely has its downsides too.
Hojlund’s other half, Laura Sondergaard, seen in an Instagram selfie
Hojlund admitted his surprise that the photographers wanted to follow him and Laura.
‘You don’t have the same freedom in your vocabulary and, in general, in everyday life. You can’t always say what you think because it can be taken out of context.
‘I miss that part: being able to be at peace and act like an idiot if that’s what you want.
‘I miss being able to mind my own business without thinking about whether anyone is listening and following where Rasmus Hojlund is now.
“But I’ve enjoyed it and I’m already looking forward to next season.”
