Conte Critiques Coaching Styles Affecting Højlund’s Progress

Napoli’s head coach, Antonio Conte, has seemingly directed criticism towards former Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim, suggesting that the arrogance exhibited by previous coaches has impeded the development of striker Rasmus Højlund.

Højlund joined Napoli on a season-long loan last summer, with the Serie A club required to make the move permanent if they secure a Champions League qualification.

The Danish forward transferred to United in 2023 for £64 million ($85.79 million) from Atalanta, where he scored 26 goals in 95 appearances. During Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford, Højlund was often overlooked and did not participate in any of the club’s first four Premier League matches this season.

At Napoli, Højlund started strong, netting nine goals in his initial 20 appearances. However, he has not scored since achieving a brace against Cremonese on December 28.

In a press conference ahead of Napoli’s weekend win over Sassuolo, Conte remarked, “Some young coaches nowadays are arrogant and don’t want to adapt. They see a young striker struggling, and instead of training him, they blame him. They always complain and blame everyone but themselves, because everything is handed to them on a silver platter.”

Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, expressed confidence regarding Højlund’s permanent transfer from Manchester United, labeling it a “formality.”

“We did everything we could to sign him,” Manna stated to the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. “There were more storied clubs interested, but his will was crucial, and we are proud of it. There’s an option to buy and an obligation to buy if we qualify for the Champions League. The player considers himself a Napoli player, and the same goes for us. This is extremely important.”

Currently, Napoli sits third in Serie A, trailing league leaders Internazionale by six points and is set to face Juventus on Sunday.