Manchester United have made a verbal offer of €50million (£42.8m; $55.4m) plus €10m in add-ons to Atalanta for Rasmus Hojlund.
The Serie A club want more than €70million for the 20-year-old, but dialogue is ongoing with optimism that a deal will be struck.
The Athletic reported earlier this month that United have agreed preliminary personal terms with the forward.
Hojlund is the priority target for United but other options are under consideration — including Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani and Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus.
United’s Premier League rivals Chelsea are also weighing up a move for 22-year-old Kudus.
Hojlund has indicated to Atalanta that he wants to leave, with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain also in contention for his signature.
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Atalanta rebuffed United’s offer of money plus players for Hojlund earlier this month, insisting on a straight cash arrangement.
Hojlund only joined Atalanta last summer, moving from Austrian side Sturm Graz. He registered eight goals and two assists in 31 Serie A games.
The Denmark international also scored five goals in two games during Euro 2024 qualifying in March, including a hat-trick against Finland.
GO DEEPER
50 to watch – Hojlund: Atalanta’s striker is on the rise – just don’t compare him to Haaland
Carl Anka and Mark Carey have looked at striker options for Manchester United and focussed on Hojlund’s performance last season for Atalanta. You can read the full profile here, including an analysis of all his shots in Serie A in 2022-23.
“Hojlund’s debut year in Serie A was promising but a little curious. Twenty of his 32 league appearances were as a starter, with manager Gian Piero Gasperini sometimes choosing to use him as a second-half ‘closer’ to run against tired opposition legs.
“When Hojlund did enter the field of play, he gave a good account of himself.
“Ten Hag may have spoken of wanting an experienced striker who brings ‘no risk’, but the joy of Hojlund — who only left his teens in February — comes in pondering the player he might be in two to three seasons’ time.”
GO DEEPER
Shopping for Ten Hag and Manchester United in 2023: Strikers
Mark Carey has looked at Hojlund and why the young striker has been in demand. Comparisons to Dusan Vlahovic and Erling Haaland are touched upon, though the striker is keen to play them down. There is also a closer look at his shot quality and how he compares to other under-23 players across Europe… you can read the full piece here.
“While the typical modern-day forward has experienced a bit of a makeover in recent years towards a more cunning, fluid false-nine profile, Hojlund is more of a throwback — with his hurried, tenacious, style of play often looking like he’s playing on fast-forward.
“The blistering speed he possesses is a huge advantage when playing in a counter-attacking side.
“With many elite clubs looking for a long-term fix to their attacking line, his rise to prominence could hardly come at a better time.”
(Photo: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
