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Hojlund’s Scoring Surge Makes Him Conte’s Focal Point at Napoli, Boosts Valuation

Conte’s 3-4-2-1 has unlocked a striker now deciding matches, inflating his valuation.

Overview

  • Rasmus Hojlund hit a brace at Cremona for his third double of the season, taking him to 9 goals in all competitions and 6 in Serie A from 12 appearances.
  • Conte publicly praised the 22-year-old’s rapid progress and has installed him as Napoli’s starting centre-forward after a system shift in late November.
  • Since the move to a 3-4-2-1, Hojlund and Neres have produced 11 of Napoli’s 15 goals across ten matches, with the Dane contributing pressing, hold-up play and relentless runs in behind.
  • Hojlund played a key role in the Supercoppa triumph in Riyadh and has 5 goals across competitions since early December, the top tally in Italy over that span according to Corriere dello Sport.
  • Reporting in Italy says Napoli are preparing a €50m obligation to buy from Manchester United if they qualify for the Champions League, with a release clause of €85m from 2027 viewed as increasingly low given his rise.