Page 2 | Hojlund crazy about Naples, the transfer background: “When Conte called me…”

“I’m really happy here, I’m enjoying it all. I don’t want to be too demonstrative, also because I’m still quite young and sometimes I can be a bit cheeky”. So Rasmus Hojlund at Sports Illustrated. The striker of Napoli explained: “Manchester United let me know that I wasn’t in the plans for the season, for me and for the Napoli it was an opportunity: I wanted the blue immediately, I spoke with Manna and then with ConteI understood the meaning of this challenge for me. The first call with Conte was short but very clear. We both knew it was a right step for me. When a coach like him calls you, you just have to say yes. For my age, I’ve already played a lot, I don’t think I’m an expert footballer yet but, for sure, I already have many games behind me.”.

Hojlund: “At home I have a Lukaku shirt, a model in my career”

Hojlund then added: “I already feel different than the twenty-year-old me I arrived at Manchester. I’m more focused on the path ahead. If I miss a match today I try to put it behind me immediately, to start again: it happened with the missed penalty against Qarabag, it devastated me, but I still tried to give my contribution, to give an assist to my teammates. And I also do it when I score a goal, to start again immediately. My teammates can all teach me a lot. At home I have a shirt of Lukaku today, because I have always loved this team and have always taken it as a model in my career. Obviously I want to play, but I also want to learn from him.”.

Hojlund on McTominay, the Italian and the Neapolitan

A chat with McTominay before the “yes” to Napoli: “We are at different moments in my career. I still have a lot to learn, he is more experienced. I am young and I need to play, and this was a great opportunity for me. I like to keep the bar high. If you are satisfied, you risk relaxing. I always try to improve: in goals, in the game, in personal growth. Even in learning Italian. Fitting into a new culture is fundamental, especially here in Italy, where the language is very important. Now I understand practically everything, even if speaking in Neapolitan dialect is something else!”.