Rasmus Hojlund, the 'Danish Haaland'

Sergio Gallardo THE 'DANISH Serie A sensation Rasmus Hojlund is earning comparisons with the City ace HAALAND'

[{"selector":"#anim-9008f15f-bfce-4f19-a48c-111c952a9786","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cb9c0505-cd67-4104-96cb-5e0b1d140581 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-9.943181575118597%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Rasmus Hojlund, one of Serie A’s major sensations this season, is earning comparisons with Erling Haaland - high praise indeed.

[{"selector":"#anim-3e71f24b-4a45-4eef-8599-5d31ed1a0d6c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7462b9c6-7b4e-4938-b840-9566473928b5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(9.85795430187417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The 19-year-old Atalanta striker was a notable absentee from Denmark’s squad for the World Cup - and has excelled since Qatar 2022.

[{"selector":"#anim-5526d593-37cc-49a5-857d-338cf69a53ae","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83a20528-efbe-4282-94ea-b4ce2294117c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(9.85795430187417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Hojlund has scored three goals in his last four Serie A games for the Bergamo club, as well as netting once against Spezia in the Coppa Italia.

[{"selector":"#anim-7491f5f1-9f09-4cf6-952d-063f59df7c93","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6fb097a2-c8b9-4044-b2b6-8f1b0540378e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(9.85795430187417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] He boasts attributes that make him a top prospect. 6ft 4in tall, he’s a left-footer who’s great in the air and has a killer instinct in front of goal.

[{"selector":"#anim-80a9bba3-8703-4ec0-a3ef-06bcde36d8c4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-99fdcefe-e886-45d1-8fab-0c51ebc8e0f0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-9.85795430187417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] In addition to being a bona fide fox in the box, Hojlund shares other traits with Haaland. He’s tall, blond, and Scandinavian.

[{"selector":"#anim-15f88c5a-70c8-4bf9-bd99-196fb9db48dd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.30265%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44f04b3b-2873-454e-b1eb-ef3ade7928d5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 7.760782355151471e-15%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] He’s on fire right now, having already shown what he can do in other leagues. Last term, he scored 12 goals in 41 games for Austrians Sturm Graz.

[{"selector":"#anim-09bc0137-0957-4374-bbe5-43ec08c4542f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-21e2d93c-c403-4c4b-9682-c4ad8146ea8c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.9523809523809523)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] Hojlund also impressed in the youth set-up at boyhood club Copenhagen, knocking in 16 goals in Denmark’s U19 Boys League.

[{"selector":"#anim-a95042bb-5d95-4557-853c-8317a4f5d9db","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 169.28640%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3089c8f5-44bc-453a-acc9-e1ba565487a1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 7.760782355151471e-15%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] He’s under contract at Atalanta until 2027, and is valued at €15m. He’s still only young, but we can expect to hear plenty more from him in the future.

[{"selector":"#anim-638b5cd5-8ae4-420e-80e5-661460e00b5b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05629750-79f0-4794-a286-72d7ad01ebc7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 5.165007106659622%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Can Hojlund follow in Haaland’s footsteps? The Norwegian has only been at Man City for some six months, and has already broken records.

[{"selector":"#anim-28e186e0-5219-4002-a75e-d942a58e3e5d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-293abb59-d76b-4869-9b4f-021960857cf2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(9.85795430187417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The 22-year-old has banged in 25 goals in 19 Premier League appearances - a haul that includes no fewer than four hat-tricks.

[{"selector":"#anim-6c6d2cde-28d5-47b0-9b82-604f92af2e45","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -183.1075%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e330b766-fdef-401f-9a8b-b3ddc3086967 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(9.85795430187417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Cristiano Ronaldo managed three Premier League hat-tricks in seven and a half seasons. Ruud van Nistelrooy took 65 games to hit four trebles.

[{"selector":"#anim-56c17165-30b0-42ec-97e9-dcc86f84bb0f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.53844%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7e91ee85-23b8-4e00-9bd8-b8ddd2144177 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(9.85795430187417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] On top of his impressive Premier League stats, Haaland has 28 goals in 23 career UCL appearances. In all, he has scored 16 hat-tricks as a pro.

[{"selector":"#anim-1ab9cde2-5178-4018-80b7-1b855ccea28c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f3f1a61-d8fa-4400-ad1f-e5e2c5d1aa1d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(9.85795430187417%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] He’s on the cusp of making more history: he’s just one hat-trick short of the record five scored by Alan Shearer in the 1995/96 Premier League season.