Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will be 'desperate' to hand Rasmus Hojlund his full debut when Brighton & Hove Albion head to Old Trafford after the international break for one key reason, journalist Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT.

The Red Devils will be looking to get their season back on track against the Seagulls after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal last weekend.

Man United latest news - Rasmus Hojlund

According to Sky Sports, Manchester United could end up splashing out £72million after persuading Serie A side Atalanta into selling Hojlund during the final weeks of the summer transfer window.

The report suggests an initial fee of £64million was enough to acquire the Denmark international, who scored 10 goals for the Italian outfit, while his five-year contract also has the option of being extended by a further 12 months.

But Hojlund had to wait until the defeat to Arsenal, where he made a 23-minute cameo appearance off the bench, for his first opportunity to impress in a Manchester United shirt.

The delay in the striker making his bow came after he was forced onto the sidelines with a back injury picked up while he was still on Atalanta's books, meaning the Red Devils were forced to contend with fixtures against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest without being able to call upon their big-money arrival.

But Hojlund's performances over the last year have resulted in him being nominated for the prestigious Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the best-performing player in the world under the age of 21 and will be handed out during the Ballon d'Or ceremony on October 30, highlighting that he could prove to be a shrewd acquisition by ten Hag.

What has Dean Jones said about Hojlund?

Jones believes Manchester United chief ten Hag will be eager to throw Hojlund into the starting line-up when high-flying Brighton make the trip to Old Trafford when domestic action returns on September 16.

The respected journalist feels being able to have the 20-year-old on the pitch for more than an hour would be a major step in the right direction as the Red Devils need his presence in the final third of the pitch if they want to enjoy a successful campaign.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

"Brighton at home is going to be a fixture which is not easy by any stretch of the imagination. I think that ten Hag will just be desperate that Hojlund can play a large part. Even if he starts and plays 60 or 70 minutes, I think that's a really good place for Manchester United to be. But they need him in that line-up as quickly as possible."

Read more: Ranking the 11 best Rasmus Hojlund goals so far

What is Hojlund's salary at Man United?

Hojlund's contract is worth £85,000-per-week, according to Capology, which means he has secured a significant pay rise by swapping Atalanta for Manchester United.

The ex-FC Copenhagen marksman will now pocket £4.42million annually, which dwarfs the pay package he picked up at the Gewiss Stadium, which was just shy of £515,000 every 12 months.

But Hojlund, who has got his name on the scoresheet 27 times during the early stages of his senior club career, still has some way to go before being among the top earners at Manchester United.

Marcus Rashford is currently leading the way with a contract worth £375,000-per-week, while the likes of Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire boast more lucrative agreements despite not being in the forefront of ten Hag's plans.

Are Man United negotiating new contracts now the transfer window has shut?

Manchester United have opened discussions with Aaron Wan-Bissaka over fresh terms, according to the Telegraph, after he has impressed ten Hag with his progress.

The Red Devils have been left in a difficult position as the right-back has entered the final 12 months of his £90,000-per-week deal, although there is an option to extend the agreement by another year.

It means suitors could look to sign Wan-Bissaka for a cut-price fee in the not-too-distant future, despite Manchester United forking out £50million when they recruited him from Crystal Palace in 2019, or he could even end up walking away from Old Trafford as a free agent.

But the former England under-21 international has become a key member of the backline during the early stages of the season, starting all four fixtures, so tying him down to a new contract is being viewed as crucial following the transfer window's closure.