Manchester United is finalizing the sale of Hojlund for £40 million, with negotiations entering the last stage! Napoli has increased the offer by 50%, and he may debut this Sunday.

Italian transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reports that talks between Manchester United and Napoli over striker Hojlund’s transfer have advanced to the final stage, making an agreement before the summer window closes almost certain.

"Negotiations between Napoli and Manchester United are at an advanced stage, involving a loan contract that activates a mandatory buyout clause once specific criteria are fulfilled," Romano said. "Discussions about personal terms with Hojlund and his agent have also begun, with Napoli and Antonio Conte pushing to finalize the deal."

The 22-year-old Hojlund, a lifelong Manchester United supporter, has always wanted to stay at Old Trafford, but head coach Rúben Amorim has sidelined him for four consecutive matches, including excluding him from the squad for both Premier League games this season, signaling to the Danish international that he no longer has a place in the team.

Another transfer expert, Ben Jacobs, revealed that the buyout clause is set at £40 million (€45 million). He stated, "Napoli's negotiations with Manchester United for Hojlund are now very advanced, discussing a loan with a conditional obligation to buy, totaling close to £40 million, excluding the loan fee."

In other words, if Hojlund’s performance during his loan spell at Napoli next season meets certain metrics, the Serie A defending champions will be required to purchase him outright, with no option to return him. This is a mutual demand from both Manchester United and Hojlund, as they want to avoid a repeat of Sancho’s twice-loaned and returned situation.

Italian outlet "Slow Motion" reported that typically, clauses activating purchase obligations depend on the club’s achievements, such as qualifying for the Champions League. However, in Hojlund’s contract, the conditions are individual-based: he must participate in a set number of matches for Napoli and score a certain number of goals.

Other Italian media revealed that to attract Hojlund, Napoli offered him a salary far exceeding what he earned at Manchester United, specifically £85,000 per week. The Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport stated that all parties involved in the deal hope to reach a final agreement. Meanwhile, Corriere dello Sport reported that Hojlund has expressed his willingness to join Napoli, though his agent is still negotiating contract details with the club.

It is reported that Napoli has offered a net annual salary of €4.5 million, while Hojlund’s net income at Manchester United was approximately €2.8 million, representing a raise of over 50%. According to Italian Sky Sports, significant progress was made in negotiations this week because not only did the player accept the salary offer, but Manchester United also agreed to a loan-to-buy arrangement.

In addition to the €45 million buyout fee, Manchester United also hopes to receive a €5 million loan fee, bringing the total income from Hojlund’s transfer to €50 million. However, this still represents a substantial loss for the Red Devils, who paid a staggering €77 million fixed transfer fee plus €10 million in add-ons to acquire the Danish player from Atalanta in August 2023.

Premier League transfer expert Graeme Bailey predicted that the deal might not need to wait until the deadline on September 1st and that Hojlund could possibly make his debut for Napoli as early as this weekend! Napoli won their first round away game 2-0 against Sassuolo, and their second Serie A match will be at home against Cagliari on August 31st.

"The deal is now close to completion, and Hojlund has clearly expressed to Manchester United his desire to join Napoli," he said. "Conte has explained to him the role he would have at Napoli, and Hojlund’s agent has informed AC Milan that the player’s move to Napoli is set in stone; he is no longer considering other clubs. Hojlund is very close to joining Napoli and, if all goes well, he will become a Napoli player within days and is expected to make his debut this weekend."