Manchester United has agreed to an early winter transfer buyout for Højlund! The €44 million will aid recruitment, and Amrabat may strongly retain two players.

According to the UK’s Daily Mirror, Manchester United has consented to Napoli completing the permanent transfer of Højlund ahead of January next year. The 22-year-old Danish striker was loaned to the Serie A champions this summer for a €6 million fee. Per the contract, if Napoli qualify for the Champions League at the end of the loan, they are obligated to pay €44 million to buy him outright. Due to his excellent performances, Napoli has decided to activate this option early.

Napoli is currently negotiating with Manchester United, as an early deal requires approval from the player’s parent club. Since Manchester United is also eager to sell Højlund quickly, the talks are believed to be quite advanced, with both sides expected to reach an agreement in the coming weeks.

Manchester United paid £72 million to sign Højlund from Atalanta, but he has only scored 14 goals in 62 Premier League appearances. Both the club and the manager have been very disappointed with him, which led to signing Šeško for €85 million. However, the Danish international has found form on loan at Napoli, scoring 4 goals in 6 appearances, much to coach Antonio Conte’s satisfaction.

Højlund missed Napoli’s last three matches due to injury, but he is thoroughly enjoying life in Italy and has no intention of returning to Manchester United.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed the news: "I can confirm that Højlund will not return to Manchester United. My view is clear: he is currently injured and has missed recent matches. However, as you know, his performances in Serie A and the Champions League for Napoli have been outstanding."

Romano predicts that Manchester United and Napoli could finalize the deal this month. "All parties involved — the player, his agent, Napoli, and Manchester United — hope to trigger the €44 million buyout clause within this month. So, very soon, really very soon, possibly within next month. The agreement clearly states the obligation to purchase the player, which is likely to be fulfilled quickly."

Securing the €44 million transfer fee early will help Amrabat bring in new signings during the January window, especially a new midfielder. However, due to concerns over potential injuries or suspensions causing squad shortages, Manchester United may not approve all current players’ departure requests in the winter window, at least not entirely.

Players likely to seek moves include forwards Coby Meno and Joshua Zirkzee. Their playing time is limited; for example, against Brighton, Meno came on as a substitute for 20 minutes, while Zirkzee played only 8 minutes — which accounts for all of the Dutch international’s minutes in October!

However, Manchester United has promised both players that they will get more opportunities during the Christmas period, when Brian Mbeumo and Amad Diallo will be participating in the Africa Cup of Nations. The Africa Cup ends on January 18, and the winter transfer window closes at 7 pm on February 2, so they could still leave in the final stages of the transfer period.

If Manchester United signs a new midfielder, 20-year-old Meno might be allowed to go out on loan to gain experience, or the struggling-to-play Zirkzee could be allowed to leave. It’s almost impossible both will depart simultaneously. However, those who remain might be unhappy, as being forced to stay as substitutes could cost them their chance to participate in the 2026 World Cup across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.