Explained: The odd driving to training ban imposed on Man Utd new boy Rasmus Hojlund at Atalanta

The Denmark international has become the most expensive striker ever acquired by the Red Devils, with a £72 million ($90m) fee changing hands when completing a big-money move to Old Trafford. He is now living the dream in England and is hoping to thrive under the guidance of Dutch coach Erik ten Hag.

He should be given greater freedom in Manchester than he experienced in Italy, with fellow countryman Joakim Maehle lifting the lid on the strict regime that Gian Piero Gasperini oversees at Serie A side Atalanta.

Maehle has told Tipsbladet of a bizarre set of rules that included Hojlund being barred from driving into training with his team-mates: “You don’t feel like a person. You feel like a number. You have no relationship with the coach. He would stand there and blame someone for something strange. For example, he was furious when Rasmus came to training by car together. He didn’t want us to drive together. Because then we could sit and talk together on the way to training, and enjoy ourselves. He didn’t want that, and I got scolded even if it had been agreed with the club because he [Hojlund] had no driver. I don’t know if it’s typical Italians, but some things make you angry and tired in the long run.”

Maehle has also been on the move this summer, leaving Atalanta for Wolfsburg, meaning that he and Hojlund can forget all about the odd restrictions put in place by Gasperini and focus on enjoying their football again.