"He needs them to put him on a stage" - Jaap Stam identifies issue with 'really good' Manchester United star
Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam has identified the issue with the club's summer signing Rasmus Hojlund as he goes through a slow start to life in the Premier League. The Dutchman believes the striker is not getting enough support from his teammates to light up the English top flight.
Manchester United splashed a whopping €75 million to sign Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta during the summer transfer window. The Dane has already shown flashes of brilliance, with five goals in four Champions League games so far this season.
However, his start to life in the Premier League has been quite the opposite, with the striker having gone nine games without scoring.
Despite that, Jaap Stam insists that Hojlund has already made a good impression with his displays so far. The former Manchester United center-back explained that Hojlund needs his teammates to step up to enable him to show what he's made of.
“He has made a really good impression on me. I think he is a really good player. He is very talented. He has an excellent left foot, a really good physique and lots of speed. And he has shown that in his first matches for United.
“When you come to such a big club as a very young man, it is not easy (for Hojlund) to show his qualities. Because he also needs the players around him (to help out). He needs them to put him on the stage and give him opportunities to score,” he told Tipsbladet (via United In Focus).
Jaap Stam also pointed to the lack of confidence at Manchester United this season, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho all misfiring at the moment. He added:
“He plays in a team that lacks confidence. (Hojlund) has players around him who don’t have the confidence, and maybe not even the qualities to play at this level. So it’s not going to be easy for him. But he’s just going to have to do what he can.
“He must show his qualities and work hard. Hopefully, he scores some goals and then he gets even more confidence.”
What's next for Manchester United?
With the international break coming to an end, Manchester United will shift their focus back to the Premier League. They are scheduled to return to action in the English top flight when they take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.
They will then go head-to-head with Galatasaray in a must-win Champions League game in Turkey on Wednesday. A defeat in that game would mean a premature elimination from the competition this season.
Following that, the Red Devils will gear up for another huge fixture in the Premier League, with travel to Newcastle United scheduled for December 2.