Manchester United are set to submit an improved bid for Rasmus Hojlund as Erik ten Hag seeks to finally end his striker search.
Coming into the summer transfer window, Ten Hag made signing a new forward a priority, with Harry Kane his top target. But with £60million of his budget now going on a move for Mason Mount, the United boss has been forced to explore alternative targets.
Hojlund has emerged as the leading contender, with the Red Devils recently submitting a £30m bid for the Atalanta striker. That offer was rejected by the Serie A side though, with four years still to run on the Denmark international's contract.
With Ten Hag desperate to bring in a new forward, United chiefs are now set to bow to that pressure. According to The Sun, the Red Devils are preparing to submit an improved £40m for the 20-year-old.
United have around £60m left in their summer budget, unless they can move on players who are no longer part of Ten Hag's plans. But the Dutchman is not willing to wait for the likes of Harry Maguire, Fred and Anthony Martial to depart.
Instead, he has been urging United chiefs to get their transfer business done early. Mount is already on his way, with a fee having been agreed with Chelsea, and United are using the same tactics in their move for Hojlund.
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United's first bid for Mount was also rejected, with the Red Devils returning with an improved offer. That sealed the deal, with personal terms and a medical all that stands in the way of the midfielder arriving at Old Trafford.
Hojlund only joined Atalanta last summer from Sturm Graz and initially started his time in Serie A as a substitute. But he was able to replace starter Duvan Zapata and went from strength to strength.
He scored nine goals in the Italian top-flight in his debut season, earning his first call-ups to the Danish national side. That made him a team-mate of United star Christian Eriksen, with the midfielder full of praise for the striker.
"I can see Rasmus in Manchester United, but I have not recommended him to manager Erik ten Hag I should have seen him first here in the national team camp. Rasmus is a fantastic guy and a good player," Eriksen told Ekstra Bladet in June.
"He has really developed brilliantly at Atalanta. But what the club ends up doing, I should not be able to answer. Manchester United is the most unique club I have been in. It is a club where there is a huge amount of attention.
"Everyone has an attitude towards Manchester United. I had tried a lot when I came to the club. So I knew a little bit about what size the club was. For younger players who come to the club, it can be really difficult, because the club is now the size it is."
