Napoli's CL spot triggers Højlund permanent deal

Napoli are on the verge of securing a permanent transfer for Manchester United loanee Rasmus Højlund after triggering an obligation-to-buy clause in his loan deal by qualifying for next season's Champions League.

The 23-year-old Danish striker joined Napoli on a season-long loan last summer for a fee of around 6 million pounds, with the Italian club required to pay approximately 38 million pounds to make the move permanent if they finish in a Champions League spot. Napoli sit second in Serie A with three matches left, holding a six-point lead over fifth-placed Roma and 70 points overall. A win against Bologna on Monday could confirm their top-four finish, though officials consider qualification a formality.

Højlund has revived his career in Naples, scoring 14 goals and providing six assists in 41 appearances across all competitions this season, including 10 in league play. This marks a sharp improvement from his second campaign at Manchester United, where he managed just four Premier League goals after a promising debut year of 16 goals in all competitions following his 72 million-pound arrival from Atalanta in 2023. Over 96 appearances for United, he scored 26 goals total.