MANCHESTER UNITED new boy Rasmus Hojlund’s former coach has admitted his surprise at the star’s £72m transfer – and says his brothers were BETTER than him.
The Red Devils finally unveiled the Danish striker, 20, last month after completing the deal with Atalanta.
Hojlund had only joined the Italian side 12 months earlier for £15m from Austrian side Sturm Graz.
He scored ten times for the Serie A side in 34 games and has been compared to Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland over recent months.
That was after he fired in six in six caps for his country.
However, after arriving with an injury, Hojlund was able to make his debut from the bench during last week's 3-1 defeat at Arsenal.
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But his former youth coach is adamant that it was his two younger brothers who looked more destined for the big stage rather than Hojlund at a young age.
Christian Mouroux, who played a key role in the forward’s development, told the Daily Mail: “His two younger brothers — twins Emil and Oscar, both now at FC Copenhagen — were more obvious talents. Rasmus wasn’t a standout.
“There were other players his age just as good.
“His talents you see today came much later. I won’t lie, I’m very surprised by how much Rasmus went for.”
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FC Copenhagen allowed the powerhouse to leave for just £1.5m in January 2022 but just 18 months later he is now set to lead the line for one of the biggest clubs on the planet in United.
Mouroux, who is the sporting director at Horsholm Usserod Idraetsklub, the amateur club that the ace played for until he was 12, said: “There was no single moment when we thought he was going to be a star.
“Signing for a team who’ve bought him to perform now, it’s surprising. Knowing him, it’s a type of pressure he will thrive under. His father set him up for that.
“Without dad Anders giving them all individual coaching after everyone else had gone home, along with their mum driving them all on, none of the brothers would’ve made it.
“Anders was a carpenter by trade and built a pitch in the basement for when the weather was bad.
“Sometimes he would train one son for one hour then come back with another and then another. There was always a Hojlund on our pitches.
“Rasmus still comes here to train when home. Brings his own cones and balls. Nobody has ever seen dedication like his, but it’s in their blood.”
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