Amorim's deadline-day decision to loan Hojlund to Napoli 'shocked' Manchester United dressing room

Manchester United players were left "shocked" after manager Ruben Amorim pushed through the deadline-day loan of striker Rasmus Hojlund to Napoli, a move that included an obligation to buy, according to reporting by the Daily Mail.

The transfer, completed against Hojlund's wishes, came after a summer recruitment drive that saw the arrivals of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, signings the Daily Mail said cost the club more than £200 million in total. Hojlund had told colleagues he wanted to stay and fight for his place, the paper reported, but Amorim and the club's owners accepted the move.

The decision marked a rapid change in Hojlund's standing at Old Trafford. Just a year earlier he had been viewed as part of an "untouchable" group alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, the Daily Mail said. Hojlund joined Manchester United for about £72 million and scored 26 goals in 95 appearances for the club, figures cited in the report.

Patrick Dorgu, Hojlund's team-mate for both Manchester United and Denmark, told Ekstra Bladet that the dressing room was surprised by the move and offered a measured perspective on squad turnover. "That's how it is in football. You never know when it's your turn to move on," Dorgu said, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

According to the report, the decision to sanction the move was taken by Amorim and accepted by Ineos, the club's owners. The loan arrangement with Napoli was finalised on transfer deadline day and includes terms that will make the transfer permanent.

Hojlund's departure comes after a season in which he struggled to match expectations set by his transfer fee and early promise. United's recruitment this summer, aimed at providing competition in attack, narrowed his immediate prospects for regular starts, the Daily Mail said. The club has not publicly detailed the financial terms of the deal beyond reporting that it carries an obligation to buy.

Manchester United and Napoli had not issued statements detailing the internal decision-making that led to the move at the time of the Daily Mail report. Hojlund's representatives did not comment through the media sources cited in the report.

The transfer closes a chapter on a high-profile spell at Old Trafford for Hojlund and raises questions about United's attacking hierarchy under Amorim as the season progresses. United's summer signings were intended to bolster the front line and provide tactical options for the manager; how quickly new arrivals settle and affect selection will be closely watched by supporters and analysts.

The move also underscores the role of ownership and management in shaping squad decisions. Ineos, which took control of club operations following earlier changes at Manchester United, has been involved in recent recruitment drives and strategic choices, according to reporting on the transfer.

With the transfer window closed, attention at United will turn to how Amorim integrates his summer signings and adjusts formations without Hojlund in the squad. Napoli will assess how Hojlund fits into their plans while the obligation-to-buy clause makes his future at the Serie A club dependent on the terms agreed at the time of the loan.

The Daily Mail coverage, which first detailed the dressing-room reaction and the sequence of events, cited interviews and sources close to the players. Ekstra Bladet provided the quoted reaction from Dorgu. Independent confirmation from the clubs involved was not published alongside those reports.