Premier League duo Arsenal and Newcastle United are watching Rasmus Hojlund with Atalanta team-mate Duvan Zapata admitting to Gazzetta dello Sport that he ‘didn’t expect him to be so fast’.
Eyebrows were raised recently when the Denmark U21 international insisted that he was capable of running 100 metres in fewer than 11 seconds.
Any doubters would have been left rather red faced, however, when Hojlund sped from the centre circle to the edge of the Lazio box during a recent Serie A clash, his galloping stride and explosive acceleration doing little to diminish those Erling Haaland comparisons.
Arsenal and Newcastle United like Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta
“Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity. But also technical quality that is just remarkable,” La Dea coach Gian Piero Gasperini says (TMW).
“He still has so much margin for improvement, too. He has very similar characteristics to Haaland. Not just his face! He is so quick. He’s under 11 seconds over 100m and that’s not even trying very hard.
“Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity and can move his legs very fast. I am convinced he’ll have a great career. He just gets stronger every day.”
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The Chronicle believe that Newcastle chief Steve Nickson is keeping tabs on the former Sturm Graz starlet; more of a goal threat required if the Magpies are to close the gap between themselves and the established elite. Arsenal are interested in the £45 million-rated Hojlund too, via La Repubblica.
And Zapata, the 6ft 2ins powerhouse who led the line for so long under Gasperini, has no complaints about losing his starting spot to a man a decade his junior. Especially one with such outrageous potential.
“Now, there’s just a centre-forward who is much more similar to my characteristics,” Zapata explains. “I didn’t know him (before he signed last summer). And I didn’t expect him to be so fast in short spaces.”
Hojlund has 13 goals in all competitions this season.
In other news, Report: Manchester City want player on a free transfer, Arsenal are also interested
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