Napoli manager Antonio Conte seems to have taken a subtle jab at former Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim, claiming that the arrogance of past coaches has impeded Rasmus Højlund‘s growth as a striker.
Højlund made the move to Napoli on a season-long loan last summer, with an obligation to buy should the Serie A team qualify for the Champions League.
The Danish forward joined United in 2023 for £64 million ($85.79m) from Atalanta, netting 26 goals in 95 appearances. However, he often found himself sidelined by Amorim and did not feature in any of the club’s first four Premier League matches this season.
At Napoli, Højlund had a promising start, scoring nine goals in his first 20 games, but he has been unable to find the net since scoring a brace against Cremonese on December 28.
“Some young coaches these days are arrogant and resist adapting. When they see a young striker in difficulty, instead of offering training and support, they just find someone else to blame,” Conte remarked during a press conference on Friday, prior to their upcoming match against Sassuolo.
“They tend to complain and point fingers at everyone except themselves, as everything comes easy to them.”
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Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna has stated that he views Højlund’s permanent transfer from Manchester United as a “formality.“
“We did everything possible to secure his signing,” Manna told the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport.
“Other prestigious clubs showed interest, but his determination was essential, and we take great pride in that. He has an option to buy, and there is an obligation to buy if we secure a Champions League spot.
“The player sees himself as a Napoli player, and we feel the same way. This is very significant for us.”
Currently, Napoli sits third in Serie A, six points behind league leaders Internazionale, and they will face Juventus this Sunday.