RisingTransfers
AI DNA Similarity

Best Alternatives to Rasmus Højlund

Players most similar to Rasmus Højlund (Attacker, €50.0M) — ranked by AI DNA similarity score across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.

Top 3 Alternatives to Rasmus Højlund

  1. 1.Benjamin Sesko86% DNA match·Manchester United€65.0M
  2. 2.Romelu Lukaku84% DNA match·Napoli€15.0M
  3. 3.Dušan Vlahović85% DNA match·Juventus€35.0M

Ranked by AI DNA similarity — 768 dimensions across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.

RT

Intelligence Verdict

Aerials WonTop 12%
???Bottom 0%

Højlund arrived in Serie A carrying the blueprint of a modern target forward...

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Playing Style Analysis

Goal Scorer

Højlund arrived in Serie A carrying the blueprint of a modern target forward — raw, physical, and still being written. His goal return of 0.43 per 90 places him comfortably in the top 30% of Serie A attackers, a figure that flatters a player whose broader offensive contribution remains frustratingly thin. The counterintuitive read here is his aerial dominance: winning nearly half his aerial duels at above-average volume, he functions as a genuine aerial threat in a league that punishes soft strikers — yet his ground duel rate sits in the bottom 10%, exposing a player who struggles when the game drops to feet. The three most similar players to Rasmus Højlund by playing style are:

  • Benjamin Sesko(86% match)A Target Man. Statistically, he stands out as a constant goal threat (3.4 shots/90), a proven goalscorer (0.60 goals/90), strong in aerial duels (3.5 aerials won/90) and top 10% scorer in the league. However, he loses possession under pressure (1.6 dispossessed/90).
  • Romelu Lukaku(84% match)A Complete Forward. Statistically, he stands out as naturally left-footed, a capable chance creator (1.1 key passes/90), a proven goalscorer (0.44 goals/90), a prolific assist provider (0.31 assists/90) and top 20% scorer in the league. However, he loses possession under pressure (1.7 dispossessed/90).
  • Dušan Vlahović(85% match)A Target Man. Statistically, he stands out as naturally left-footed, a constant goal threat (4.1 shots/90), a proven goalscorer (0.49 goals/90) and top 20% scorer in the league. However, he loses possession under pressure (1.7 dispossessed/90).

Transfer Intelligence

Benjamin Sesko delivers 86% of the same playing style, at a 30% premium over Rasmus Højlund, with 0.60 goals per 90 at age 22. That's 221% of Rasmus Højlund's output in goals per 90 — a credible like-for-like option.

Similarity is calculated using per-90 performance data across multiple playing style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →

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Comparison Base
Rasmus Højlund
AttackerDenmark€50.0M
Full profile →

Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity

#1
B
Benjamin Sesko
Manchester United · Premier League
Slovenia22yContract 2030
G/900.60
A/900.06
Target ManProlific
Last 5: → Stable
vs Højlund: €15M more expensive · +0.33 G/90
86% match
€65.0M
#2
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Romelu Lukaku
Napoli · Serie A
Belgium32yContract 2027
G/900.44
A/900.31
Complete ForwardProlific
vs Højlund: €35M cheaper · 9y older · +0.17 G/90
84% match
€15.0M
#3
D
Dušan Vlahović
Juventus · Serie A
Serbia26yContract 2026
G/900.83
A/900.00
Target ManProlific
vs Højlund: €15M cheaper · 3y older · +0.55 G/90
85% match
€35.0M
#4
B
Brian Brobbey
Sunderland · Premier League
Netherlands24yContract 2029
G/900.30
A/900.05
Target Man
Last 5: ↓ Dip
85% match
€25.0M
#5
C
Christopher Nkunku
AC Milan · Serie A
France28yContract 2030
G/900.85
A/900.17
PoacherProlific
Last 5: → Stable
84% match
€28.0M
#6
A
Agustín Álvarez
Sassuolo · Serie A
Uruguay24yContract 2026
G/900.30
A/900.00
Target ManProlific
Last 5: ↓ Dip
85% match
€3.7M
#7
F
Francesco Camarda
Lecce · Serie A
Italy18yContract 2026
G/900.20
A/900.00
Small Sample
85% match
€15.0M
#8
A
Andrea Pinamonti
Sassuolo · Serie A
Italy26yContract 2027
G/900.13
A/900.25
Target ManSmall Sample
Last 5: ↓ Dip
84% match
€15.0M
#9
E
Erling Haaland
Manchester City · Premier League
Norway25yContract 2034
G/900.81
A/900.25
PoacherProlific
Last 5: → Stable
84% match
€200.0M
#10
E
Evan Ferguson
Roma · Serie A
Republic of Ireland21yContract 2026
G/900.34
A/900.17
Complete ForwardSmall Sample
84% match
€25.0M
#11
S
Samuele Mulattieri
Sassuolo · Serie A
Italy25y
G/900.00
A/900.00
Target ManSmall Sample
83% match
€6.0M
#12
E
Evanilson
AFC Bournemouth · Premier League
Brazil26yContract 2029
G/900.21
A/900.07
Complete Forward
Last 5: ↓ Dip
83% match
€35.0M

Ask AI: Why are these players similar?

Our 768-dimension Player DNA model matches playing style, physical profile, pressing intensity, and tactical fit. Ask the AI to explain exactly what makes these players statistically similar to Rasmus Højlund.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the best alternatives to Rasmus Højlund?
The top alternatives to Rasmus Højlund based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Benjamin Sesko, Romelu Lukaku, Dušan Vlahović, Brian Brobbey, Christopher Nkunku. These players were matched using Rising Transfers' 768-dimension DNA model across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit — not just position or market value.
Which players are similar to Rasmus Højlund in 2026?
Players with a similar profile to Rasmus Højlund in 2026 include Benjamin Sesko (€65.0M), Romelu Lukaku (€15.0M), Dušan Vlahović (€35.0M). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.
What position does Rasmus Højlund play and who plays similarly?
Rasmus Højlund plays as a Attacker. Players with a comparable positional profile include Benjamin Sesko (Slovenia, €65.0M); Romelu Lukaku (Belgium, €15.0M); Dušan Vlahović (Serbia, €35.0M); Brian Brobbey (Netherlands, €25.0M).
How does Rising Transfers find similar players?
Rising Transfers uses a proprietary 768-dimension Player DNA model trained on 3.2 million match events. Each player is represented as a vector across 35+ per-90 metrics including pressing intensity, passing footprint, dribbling profile, and defensive contribution. Similarity is measured using cosine distance — the same technique used in state-of-the-art AI systems — making it the most precise player comparison tool available publicly.