Hoylen s Manchester United career may come to an end, it can be said to be a lose-lose farewell

Danish striker Hoylen, who is only 21 years old, scored 10 Premier League goals in Manchester United's debut season, but his Red Devils career has not evolved as expected. This summer, the young scorer publicly expressed his desire to stay at Manchester United and was unwilling to give up his dream transfer when he turned 20 in 2023.

However, the situation changed in August. With Manchester United introducing Sesco from Leipzig at a high price and the team's missed European matches, the game time was greatly reduced, Hoylen had to reconsider his future. After AC Milan's transfer negotiations collapsed, Naples showed strong interest and proposed a loan plan with a mandatory buyout clause, which may provide the players with the required stability and also means that Hoylen's fate with Manchester United is about to reach the end.

Such an ending is regrettable, but it seems irreversible. Cesco will become the core of the team's forward line. If Hoylen stays, he will only face limited opportunities, and transfers will become a more reasonable choice. Hoylen has indeed shown great potential. The £72 million transfer fee has brought heavy pressure from the outset, especially in stark contrast to Manchester City's deal to sign Haaland at a lower price a year ago. Haaland was already a mature shooter at the time, while Hoylen had only 87 professional games experience and scored 27 goals.

Due to similar Nordic backgrounds and physical conditions, the outside world often compares the two. This comparison is inherently unfair, and Hoylen was injured when joining, which led to the postponement of his debut and the adaptation period was compressed. In a team in a turbulent period, he never gained enough patience and time.

The Champions League is obviously more suitable for Hoylen's performance. He scored five goals in his first four European games, including a double score against Galatasaray and former club Copenhagen. But it is worth noting that Manchester United eventually lost all the Champions League matches he scored in these three goals, revealing the overall problems of the team. In contrast, his first Premier League goal did not arrive until Game 15, but he then ushered in an explosive period, scoring 7 goals in 6 league games, helping Manchester United score 16 of 18 points.

When his condition was recovering, a hamstring injury interrupted his rhythm. After his comeback, the team's momentum has declined and he failed to score for four consecutive games. At the end of the season, he once again brought three wins to the team with three goals. The 16 goals score in all competitions throughout the season is rare for young forwards who are in the eighth team of the league.

However, the injury came unexpectedly again. The relapse of an old hamstring injury before the 2024-25 season left him missing the first month of the event, and then he could only struggle with teams with limited opportunities. Even if the coach changes in the middle, Amorin's new tactical system still needs time to go through and the situation has not improved. With Rashford's condition falling behind in January, new player Zilkze also adapted to difficulties, and Hoylen never got breathing space.

He ended up with four Premier League goals, despite the higher average per game of the UEFA Cup. When everything went well, Hoylen proved that he had the qualities of a top scorer, but the young player never fully blossomed in the turbulent environment of Manchester United. Now 22-year-old Hoylen still has a bright future. What he needs is an environment where he can grow steadily, away from the excessive attention and pressure he has suffered in the past two years. Although this separation is regrettable, it may be a necessary measure for both parties.