Napoli set Hojlund a 20-goal target as Allegri eyes new level from Dane
Quick summary
Napoli have set Rasmus Hojlund a target of 20 goals this season, with coach Massimiliano Allegri pushing the Danish striker to reach a new level at the Stadio Maradona.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceNapoli made Rasmus Hojlund’s move from Manchester United permanent for €44m this summer, and Massimiliano Allegri wants a return of at least 20 league goals from the Danish striker this season.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport , Hojlund’s arrival came together quickly last August after Romelu Lukaku’s injury prompted Aurelio De Laurentiis to move for a striker Allegri himself had tracked closely at Milan last summer.
NAPLES, ITALY – FEBRUARY 10: He gestures during the Coppa Italia match between SSC Napoli and Como 1907 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on February 10, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) Hojlund becomes Napoli’s most expensive forward Hojlund made an instant impact, winning a penalty on his fifth appearance and scoring on his 14th, and his best spell came around Christmas, with a standout Supercoppa semi-final display against Milan followed by sustained form in Serie A, including a brace against Juventus and seven goals away from home.
He was equally effective in the Champions League, scoring twice against Sporting and once against Chelsea.
The €44m fee, combined with the €6m paid for his initial loan in August 2024, makes Hojlund the most expensive forward Napoli have signed under De Laurentiis.
Indeed, surpassing the fees paid for Victor Osimhen, Hirving Lozano and Gonzalo Higuain.
At 23, the expectation now is for Hojlund to push beyond double figures into a genuinely elite scoring bracket, with Allegri viewing 20 goals as the benchmark for the season ahead.
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What happened
Napoli and head coach Massimiliano Allegri have reportedly set Rasmus Hojlund an ambitious 20-goal target for the season. The Danish forward, who arrived on loan with an option/obligation to buy, is being asked to step up and become the focal point of Napoli's attack. Allegri is known for demanding high work rate and clinical finishing from his strikers, and the 20-goal benchmark signals the club's expectation that Hojlund can deliver consistently in Serie A. The target underlines Napoli's faith in the young forward while raising the pressure on his shoulders to justify the investment.
Chance analysis
Rasmus Hojlund's second chapter in Italian football is being framed as a make-or-break campaign. After a difficult spell in the Premier League, the Danish striker has been handed a clear numerical mandate by Allegri: 20 goals. That kind of public target is as much psychological as it is sporting — it signals Allegri's confidence in the player while also putting a spotlight on his output. For Napoli supporters, the benchmark sets a tangible measure of success for a season in which the club expects to compete at the top end of Serie A.
Raises expectations and pressure on Hojlund to deliver goals, while signaling Allegri's intention to use him as Napoli's primary attacking outlet.