Rasmus Hojlund, a recent £72 million signing for Manchester United, is now recovering from a back ailment that will probably limit his playing time early in the season.

MRI results from the Danish striker’s medical last week found a stress response hotspot in his back, which can signal the beginning of stress fractures in young athletes, according to information obtained by Mail Sport.

Hojlund was introduced to United supporters at Old Trafford prior to the start of last Saturday’s preseason friendly against Lens, although it might be some time before they see him in action.

With some United sources suggesting that the problem is more serious than the club reported after the 20-year-old’s transfer from Atalanta last week, the player has already been ruled out of Erik Ten Hag’s team’s first two games of the season against Wolves and Tottenham.

Due to a minor injury acquired during preseason training at Atalanta, Holland would need a few weeks to get match-ready, according to United’s official statement, which made no mention of the injury’s specifics.

Mail Sport has gathered that Hojland’s back issue was discovered during his medical, which is what prompted the referral for an MRI, but teams sometimes seek second views in a deal of that size.

Marcus Rashford missed several months of the 2019–20 season due to a Covid injury, but Hojlund has not yet reached that point since the team is confident in his ability to recover and return to play.

United is adamant that after thorough examinations during Hojlund’s physical, there is no core back problem and that all he needs is some downtime.

Following the MRI last week, United’s initial answer was to give Hojlund more time to work on his fitness and to convince him that he was a long-term acquisition and would not be pushed into the team.

However, medical experts outside the team have informed Mail Sport that such injuries require cautious monitoring and that it is doubtful that Hojlund will be able to play two games per week for some time out of concern that it could turn into a stress fracture and necessitate a protracted recovery period.

After graduating from FC Copenhagen’s academy, he made his first-team debut at age 17, after which he was traded to Austrian clubs Sturm Graz in January 2022 and Atalanta in August of that same year for a combined £15 million.

Despite competition from Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Inter Milan just a year later, United spent nearly five times that sum, choosing to proceed with the signing despite discovering the back issue during his medical.

With a five-year contract from United that includes a one-year extension option, Ten Hag is looking to restructure the assault around Hojlund’s ability to score goals.

United opted not to respond.