Alan Shearer believes that Rasmus Hojlund is a 'damaged player' after the striker struggled again in the 1-0 loss of Manchester United at home on Wolves on Sunday.
Hojlund, 22, arrived for £ 73 million from Atalanta in 2023 and scored 10 league goals in his first season in Old Trafford, but the goals have dried up this period.
He just found it just three times in the Premier League, with only one of those goals in 2025, and he was removed after 70 minutes on Sunday after another ineffective display in which he was wasted several opportunities.
Premier League legend Shearer heard his performance closely and gave a damn verdict on the match of the day 2 while revealing the mistakes that makes Hojlund consistent.
“I look at a damaged player in Hojlund,” said Shearer. 'I think he was not ready and is not ready to lead the line in a club like Manchester United.
'Three Premier League goals, and at the moment I see a player who doesn't really want to go there.
“He is perhaps a second too early or a second too late, and his timing is completely wrong. I think there is no doubt that he has (on) a crisis in confidence. '
Despite his shortcomings this season, Hojlund has retained its place as the first choice of United for most of the campaign under Ruben Amorim for Joshua Zirkzee and Teenage Wonderkid Chido Obi-Martin.
Shearer expressed some sympathy for Hojlund, while he continues to fail to expand United to him two years ago, but hinted that United should dive into the transfer market this summer for a more established No. 9 to illuminate the burden of the Danish attacker.
“He is placed in a very difficult situation in a club where unless you are exceptional, to lead the club for the football club, you really have to be talented,” Shearer added.
“He is not at the stage of his career where he should lead the border. I am not saying that there is no good player, I think there is a good player.
“But the pressure on him in terms of doing what he can't do and also the price drawer, he is not yet ready to lead the line.”
United has now lost 15 league matches this season, with Pablo Sarabia's free kick that all sealed the points for Wolves shortly after Hojlund was replaced.
Amorim's men are 14th in the table, only two points above the 17th placed West Ham, and are the sixth lowest scorers in the division.