RASMUS HOJLUND will never be a Premier League great like Sergio Aguero, claims Gary Neville.
But the former Manchester United star-turned-pundit reckons that the Dane could “become an Ollie Watkins” for the Red Devils.
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Hojlund, 21, arrived at Old Trafford from Atalanta last summer with a hefty £72million price-tag.
He has since been tasked with being United’s main No9, with Anthony Martial having spent much of the campaign injured.
The forward failed to score in his first 14 Premier League matches, before a hot streak that saw him bag seven in six.
His progress was thwarted by a muscular injury, and since his return he has only scored once in eight games.
After seeing Hojlund struggle to impose his will against Arsenal during his side’s 1-0 defeat on Sunday, Neville had his say on the front-man.
Appearing on Sky Sports, the 49-year-old said: “I think this is a kid that needs persevering with. I looked at Ollie Watkins before.
“He’s not going to become a Haaland or an Aguero, one of the great strikers in Premier League history, I don’t think.
“But he can become an Ollie Watkins. You can look at someone like that, I think I can get to 20 goals.”
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Aguero, now 35, scored 260 goals in 390 appearances for Manchester City – winning five Prem titles, an FA Cup and six League Cups in the process.
Watkins, meanwhile, has scored 19 goals and assisted a further 13 this season – with the 28-year-old having 59 in 145 top flight appearances in total.
Last week Erik ten Hag, 54, admitted that he wanted to sign Harry Kane, only to end up with Hojlund.
He then told Neville of the difference between the two: “With Harry Kane you know you get 30 goals. I think Rasmus will get there but he needs time.”
Comparing Hojlund to Kane last night, Neville added: “I wish he was the second striker this season. I wish he was learning, I did the interview with Erik ten Hag last week. He mentioned Harry Kane.
“If he was learning off Kane now or playing with Kane, I think you’d see a completely different player.”
Neville then pointed to Hojlund’s youth, before making two interesting comparisons.
He continued: “Secondly, he’s 21 years of age. He’s a little bit scruffy in his work is his first season in the Premier League, and he reminds me a little bit of Darwin Nunez. He reminds me a little bit of Nicolas Jackson.
“When you look at them, they’re projects. Manchester United, this moment in time is their only striker. Manchester United is the only striker in the club. Forget Anthony Martial. He’s not been there for years.
“If you look at Nunez and if you look at Hojlund, the really interesting thing for me is that that shot conversion is up 22 per cent so when he actually gets chances, he’s actually better than Jackson and Nunez.
“Now you might say, okay, but I think that’s something really to work with. The expected goals at the bottom, he’s only expected to score 7.4 goals.
“The service in delivery into him is poor you look at Nunez and Jackson, Jackson, they’re at 16.3 and 17, double.”
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Neville’s fellow pundit Jamie Carragher was a little harsher on Hojlund.
He asked: “Is that good enough?
“Is that good enough for Manchester United? I mean, I feel sorry for Hojlund a little bit, but I do look at it and think, what is, what’s his trick? What does he do?
“I know he’s young, and I actually think he’s been brought in maybe a couple of years too soon.”
Hojlund has scored eight goals in 28 Premier League appearances thus far during his debut campaign in England.
He did perform well in the Champions League, netting five times in United’s six group games.
The 6ft 3in front-man will hope to add to his tally before the end of the season, with United welcoming Newcastle on Wednesday night before rounding off their Prem campaign with a trip to Brighton on Sunday.
He will then hope to become a Wembley hero, when United take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
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