"He has to believe in himself" - Van Nistelrooy defends Hojlund amid Gyokeres rumours

Rasmus Hojlund joined Manchester United from Atalanta in the summer of 2023 as one of the Mancunian club's most promising signings in recent years. However, the Dane has not proved to be the solution to the Red Devils' goalscoring woes. 

During his first season, the Denmark international scored 16 goals in 43 competitive appearances, while this season he has only found the net twice in 10 competitive appearances so far. 

On the other hand, Viktor Gyokeres was last season's European surprise package, scoring 43 goals and providing 15 assists in 50 appearances for Sporting Lisbon, putting him on the radar of Europe's top clubs. In addition, the Swede's great start to the season, who has already scored 23 goals and provided four assists in just 17 appearances, has made him a prime target for United. 

Rumours have speculated that, after confirming that Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim will take charge of the Mancunian club from 11 November, the Portuguese coach could convince Gyokeres to leave with him to try his luck in Manchester. 

However, Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is still interim coach of the Red Devils, defended Rasmus Hojlund amid these rumours. "Rasmus has to stay calm and believe in himself. He’s a guy with great potential who can change the game in a second," he told reporters.