Can Napoli Cut Short Rasmus Hojlund’s Loan Deal? Antonio Conte Concerned As Dane Continues To Struggle

Rasmus Hojlund is currently enduring a difficult spell in Serie A and Antonio Conte may be looking to terminate the Dane’s loan deal with Napoli.

Can Napoli Cut Short Rasmus Hojlund’s Loan Move?

After an electric start to his Napoli career, scoring four goals in his first six appearances across all competitions, Rasmus Hojlund has started to dwindle under Antonio Conte.

The Danish international has failed to score in his last three appearances (all competitions) and missed another three matches with a persistent muscular issue.

Conte’s side have managed to remain successful despite Hojlund’s poor form, as the Serie A champions are currently top of the table and are on a run of four matches without a defeat.

Hojlund’s issues in front of goal have coincided with the Kevin De Bruyne’s recent absence through injury, as the Belgian has provided the assist for two of the Dane’s four goals.

Napoli are now searching for a replacement for De Bruyne, as the 34-year-old is set to be out of action until March 2026 and leaves a huge hole in the heart of midfield.

If the Scudetto holders are unable to find a suitable replacement then Hojlund’s form could continue to follow this downward spiral and make a permanent move to Italy seem unjustified.

The 22-year-old joined Napoli on loan from Manchester United during the summer and this deal includes an obligation-to-buy clause, which will activate if Conte’s side finishes in the top four.

Ending the season in the top four of Serie A is something that will be an expectancy for Napoli this season, as Gli Azzurri have achieved this feat in 10 of the last 13 seasons.

Not only have Napoli qualified for a Champions League spot, but the Naples-based side have also won two of the last three Serie A titles and are one of the favorites to do so again this season.

Napoli would have to sign the Danish striker for €44 million, which would take the overall fee to €50m after spending an initial €6m during the summer.

Last season, Manchester United sent Jadon Sancho on loan to Chelsea and included an obligation-to-buy if the Blues finished inside the top 14 in the Premier League.

Chelsea managed to fulfill this goal, however, the agreed deal with Manchester United included an ‘escape clause’ meaning Chelsea could pay €6m to send Sancho back to Manchester – which is what the Blues decided.

According to reports, Napoli did not include this clause in their agreement over Hojlund, meaning the Serie A champions would have to sign the Dane next summer.

Do Napoli Fans Want To Sign Hojlund Permanently?

Napoli supporters were hugely excited after seeing Hojlund’s early performances in a sky blue jersey, however, this feeling has started to fizzle out following a run of poor form.

Some fans have found some positivity in the structural breakdown of the deal for signing Hojlund permanently, as the €44m will be paid in five installments.

One supporter took to Twitter to vent their frustration at Hojlund’s recent form in Italy, jokingly claiming the Dane is on track to win the Ballon d’Or next year.

Yup on his way to winn Ballon d'or for sure. pic.twitter.com/Of7ROwsIml

— Dissi (@IAmDissi) November 6, 2025

It is still early days for Hojlund, as the Danish striker has made just nine appearances across all competitions for Napoli and has shown signs of promise.

However, Napoli will be well aware that their title rivals, Inter Milan, have one of the best strikers in Europe and this could make the difference come the end of the season.

Lautaro Martinez has been Inter’s talisman for multiple years now and the Argentine is being tipped to win the Champions League golden boot this season.

Hojlund still has a long way to go to reach the heights set by Martinez in Italy and the jury is still out for Napoli supporters – especially once Romelu Lukaku returns from injury.

When Is Romelu Lukaku Back From Injury?

Romelu Lukaku has missed the entirety of this season so far after suffering a thigh injury in Napoli’s final pre-season friendly and the Belgian is not expected to return until February 2026.

This lengthy absence has piled the pressure on both Rasmus Hojlund and Lorenzo Lucca, as this duo of strikers both signed for Napoli during the summer window.

Filling Lukaku’s shoes will not be an easy task for either man, as the 32-year-old contributed to 24 goals in 36 Serie A appearances (14G + 10A) and guided Napoli to the Serie A title.

Once the former Inter Milan star returns it will leave Antonio Conte with an interesting decision to make, as the Italian rarely utilizes a formation with two strikers.