Rasmus Hojlund Welcomes Greater Freedom in Max Allegri’s Napoli Attack

Rasmus Hojlund says the managerial change at Napoli has finally given his game the platform it was asking for, telling La Gazzetta dello Sport that he now has more license to run in behind rather than play with his back to goal.

The Denmark international was keen to clarify comments made after Napoli’s clash with Como, insisting they had been misinterpreted and taken out of context.

Hojlund was careful not to disown last season’s work under Antonio Conte, saying the back-to-goal role had worked well and that the team had been successful playing that way.

But for his own style, he believes he can offer more to Napoli’s new setup, describing himself as a quick player capable of attacking space, something he says he did occasionally last year but now has greater freedom to do under Massimiliano Allegri.

The shift comes as Napoli continue building an identity around Allegri’s tactical approach in the early weeks of the campaign, with a testing trip against reigning champions Inter arriving this Saturday.

What Has Changed In Hojlund’s Role Under Allegri

The striker pointed to Gian Piero Gasperini as the coach who shaped his understanding of offensive, quick football, crediting him with instilling the pressing habits and off-the-ball movement that underpin his game today.

He was quick to dampen any talk of stardom, saying he doesn’t focus on becoming a star but on improving every day, leaving the final judgement on his career to the end of it.

Hojlund managed 12 Serie A goals last season, or 16 across all competitions including the Champions League and Italian Super Cup, numbers Allegri himself has pointed to when discussing the margin for growth still available in his finishing.

Asked bluntly whether this Napoli side can challenge for the Scudetto, Hojlund declined to commit, saying only that it’s important to improve day by day and that time will tell.

It’s a measured response from a player still adjusting to a new system, and one that Napoli’s coaching staff will likely echo as the early-season results and performances against Inter and beyond are assessed.

GiovanniDi Lorenzo Signs Napoli Contract Through 2030

Hojlund’s comments arrive alongside separate news that captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo has signed a contract extension through June 2030, tying the 33-year-old to the club for another four years beyond his previous 2028 deal.

Scott McTominay Faces Heart Procedure And Contract Questions

Elsewhere, Napoli have confirmed a minor heart procedure for Scott McTominay after the onset of a mild, benign arrhythmia, with the midfielder set to undergo pulsed-field ablation in the coming days.

He’s expected to return after the international break, meaning a spell of several weeks on the sidelines, but was quick to reassure supporters over the severity of the issue.

“I’m fine, the procedure was something I’d planned to do with the club for quite a while,” McTominay said. “We’d already talked about it in pre-season.”

His absence leaves both his short-term availability and his longer-term role as an open question, with the midfielder also confirming there have been no recent talks over extending his contract, which currently runs for two more years.

That’s a fresh strand of uncertainty that echoes the situation around another Napoli midfielder’s future.

Napoli’s Summer Picture Comes Into Focus

Together, the pieces sketch a Napoli squad in flux: a captain locked down for the long haul, a striker publicly embracing a new attacking brief, and a midfielder whose situation demands further clarity.

The next real test of Hojlund’s expanded role arrives quickly, with Saturday’s fixture against Inter offering an early measure of whether Allegri’s system can deliver against the champions themselves.