Ferdinand sends warning to Man Utd over summer signing as he likens him to Liverpool man

Rio Ferdinand has warned Man Utd that Rasmus Hojlund “will take time to adjust” to the Premier League like Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez.

Hojlund is set to complete a move to Old Trafford over the coming weekend after Atalanta and the Red Devils agreed a £72m fee for his services last week.

Man Utd have been desperate to sign a striker to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, who left in November last year after a controversial interview with Piers Morgan.

They did bring in Wout Weghorst, who failed to score a Premier League goal in his loan spell from Burnley, as a temporary fix but now Hojlund joins with lots of potential.

Hojlund contributed 10 goals and two assists for the Serie A club last season and Man Utd fans will be hoping he can hit the ground running ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

However, former Man Utd centre-back Ferdinand reckons it “will take time to adjust” to the Premier League like Liverpool’s Nunez.

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“The first thing you’ve got to look at is there’s huge potential,” Ferdinand said. “Anyone who has seen him play will see there are attributes there that you would like. He’s suited to the Premier League.

“I think the price tag is out of his hands. I look at it a bit like Darwin Nunez from Liverpool. Last season was his adjusting season.

“He’s a young striker coming to the league, everything about him fits the Premier League perfectly but it didn’t go as well as he would of liked.

“But I think this season we’ll see a different player for Liverpool. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens with Hojlund although I’d like him to have a better season than that, obviously.

“He may well do but it will take time to adjust. The attributes are there but you’re going to be paying big.”

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara is “not expecting anything massive” from Hojlund this season as Man Utd “always overpay for players”.

O’Hara told Grosvenor Sport: “It’s a lot of money, isn’t it? But he’s a young lad, he looks powerful and is meant to be a bit of a wonderkid.

“The jury will be out of course, because this is what Manchester United do – they signed Antony for big bucks last season and he was average, so I’m not expecting anything massive from them, but [Hojlund] does look like a top player who knows how to score goals.

“Manchester United always overpay for players. It’s Manchester United – they’re one of the richest clubs and biggest clubs in the world, so they’re always overpaying for players. That’s just how it’s always been.

“If young players are available and Man United want to sign them, the clubs are going to say, ‘yep, £80m’, because that’s just the going rate for these players now from abroad who are meant to be these wonderkids. If Man United want you, then your price tag is going to be high.

“I feel like that’s what the club are trying to do now – bring in all this young talent. We’ve seen it with Jadon Sancho and Antony and it just hasn’t worked out yet, so we’ll see. I think Erik ten Hag knows what he’s doing though.”