To be honest, it would be a surprise if the Tottenham Hotspur man said anything different.
After so many years starting games week-in, week-out, we would be shocked if a player who joined the Premier League giants in a £15 million deal during the Jose Mourinho era was content to gather dust on the sidelines.
In his three seasons as a Tottenham player before this one, the midfielder started 38, 36 and then 35 games respectively. Since the appointment of Ange Postecoglou, that number has plummeted to a measly six.
No wonder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is keen to find out what plans Postecoglou has for him going forward, if any.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg not happy at Tottenham Hotspur
“Of course, I am not satisfied with what is going on at the club,” Hojbjerg told Tipsbladet after captaining Denmark for the very first time and marking the occasion with an eighth-minute goal this week.
“It’s not a secret. But it’s not something I make a fuss about either.”
Hojbjerg, to his credit, has gone about his business with the maturity and the professionalism you’d expect of a man who was handed the armband at Southampton at such a young age. The one-time Bayern Munich prospect still wants an explanation from Postecoglou, however, with a decision having to be made with regards to his future when the summer window rolls around.
Hojbjerg, who has been linked with the likes of Ajax and Serie A giants Juventus, has just one year left on his contract. Tottenham reportedly wanted £25 million in January but may be forced to accept a cut-price fee this time around.
“I can put my head on the pillow knowing that I’m giving it my all to show the coach he has to believe in me,” Hojbjerg adds. “This is not the case at the moment. And it is the coach who must explain why (I am not playing).”
Spurs eye Joao Gomes of Wolves
In truth, there’s a pretty obvious reason why the 28-year-old has found game time so hard to come by under the former Celtic boss. Postecoglou wants his midfielders to contribute both creatively as well as defensively. And while he did score a career-best five goals in 2022/23, Hojbjerg lacks the press resistant qualities of Yves Bissouma or the poise of Pape Matar Sarr.
Spurs have already shipped out the similarly long-serving Eric Dier, Hugo Lloris and Davinson Sanchez. HITC Football, meanwhile, understand that Wolves’ all-action £40 million maestro Joao Gomes is on the club’s wishlist, the Brazil international both younger and better suited to Postecoglou’s game plan than Hojbjerg.
Gomes scored a brace in North London as Wolves triumphed 2-1 in February.
We have been informed that Feyenoord’s Quinten Timber is another potential target. Ditto Fenerbahce’s Ismail Yuksek.