Hojlund says he is 'ready to fight for place' amid Man Utd's push for Sesko

Rasmus Højlund has admitted he "could have done with some help" during his early days leading the line for Manchester United and now is "more than ready".

Speaking after United's 4-1 win over Bournemouth at Soldier Field in Chicago on Wednesday, the Danish forward sent a clear message both on and off the pitch amid mounting speculation linking the Reds with RB Leipzig’s rising star, Benjamin Šeško.

The 22-year-old found the net in United’s second game of the Premier League Summer Series and was denied a second only by a marginal VAR call.

After the match, he made a point of speaking to the media, reaffirming his commitment to staying at the club despite the increasing noise around incoming attacking reinforcements.

“My plan is very clear,” Højlund said, reported the BBC. “That is for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens.

"Competition is fine with me. It sharpens me. I’m more than ready. I’m feeling sharp, so I welcome everything that comes.”

Højlund endured a testing 2024/25 campaign, scoring just 10 goals in 52 appearances as United slumped to a dismal 15th-place finish in the Premier League.

Nevertheless, he remains a key figure under new manager Rúben Amorim and has underlined his desire to continue growing at Old Trafford.

Since his £72 million move from Atalanta in 2023, Højlund has scored 26 goals in 95 competitive appearances for the Reds — a return that has sparked debate among fans and pundits alike.

While the numbers include two purple patches — five goals in four games last season and eight in eight the year before — some have argued he has been burdened with too much responsibility too soon.

Reflecting on his arrival, Højlund said: “When I came, [Anthony] Martial was there as well, but he had a lot of injuries, so I obviously had to take a lot of the game time.

“You’re not going to tell me I shouldn’t be playing because I want to play every game. But obviously, I could have done with some help in terms of sharing the games a bit, especially in the beginning.”

United are understood to have made Šeško their top target this summer, with Amorim keen to add another dimension to his forward line. But Højlund’s message is clear: he’s not backing down from the challenge.

With the season fast approaching, the Dane's determination to cement his place is exactly the kind of mentality United will need as they look to climb back to the top of English football.