Former The Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels has responded to claims made by co-hosts and other accusers in a new Netflix docuseries, Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser.
In a series of Instagram posts, Michaels refutes claims by former cohost Bob Harper and Dr. Robert Huizenga, a sports doctor who worked with series contestants, made against her. The Netflix docuseries, which premiered August 15, alleged in season 15 of the weight loss bootcamp reality series Michaels was caught giving her team caffeine supplements and that caffeine pills violated rules for the show.
In one social media post, Michaels denies she was covertly giving caffeine pills to contestants to maximize workouts, and presents an email chain to claim “Dr. Huizenga did approve caffeine pills on many seasons of Biggest Loser,” while also alleging “Bob Harper not only knew about the caffeine pills, the ‘stackers fat burner’ were actually his suggestion. I wanted to use my brand instead because they were cleaner and had no more than 200mg of caffeine (equivalent to a strong cup of coffee).”
The Biggest Loser ran on NBC for 17 seasons and featured men and women competing to see who could shed the most weight for a cash prize. A 2020 reboot of the series ran on sister channel USA Network for one season.
Michaels was not interviewed for the Netflix docuseries. In another post, she looked to refute “the allegation that I restricted contestants from eating enough calories” by presenting a December 2010 email to season 11 winner Olivia Ward (who is interviewed in the Netflix docuseries). In it, Michaels claims while Ward was on a break during filming, “I explicitly instructed her to consume 1,600 calories per day.”
“Additionally, the two other emails posted here are standard communications with the show’s producers and medical staff, emphasizing the ongoing priority of ensuring contestants were adequately nourished and the need to provide a steady supply of fresh food in the BL house to guarantee ready access to calories,” Michaels asserted in her social media post.
The Netflix docuseries claimed the season 15 winner Rachel Frederickson, who began the reality show at 260 pounds and weighed in at just 105 pounds at the finale, was evidence that the controversial series had gone too far as contestants chased weight loss.
To that claim, Michaels argued on Instagram, writing, “Not only did I never once get the opportunity to personally work with Rachel Frederickson in any capacity — I raised serious concerns both publicly and to NBC directly about contestant health and the condition of Rachel in particular at BL’s Season 15 finale. In response, I received a direct email from Paul Telegdy, then-chairman of NBC Entertainment. In that email, he made clear that if I did not publicly condone the appearance of contestant Rachel Frederickson at the show’s finale, NBC would pursue legal action against me. I resigned from The Biggest Loser shortly thereafter.”
The Hollywood Reporter reached out to Netflix and Michaels for comment.
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey transits the South China Sea May 6, 2017. — Reuters
NEW YORK: The US Navy’s push to develop a fleet of sea drones has stalled after a string of failed tests. Designed to showcase the Pentagon’s top autonomous drone boats, the project’s trial runs off the California coast last month ended with crashes and software glitches, casting doubt on the Navy’s ability to bring the new technology into service.
As officials scrambled to fix a software glitch, another drone vessel smashed into the idling boat’s starboard side, vaulted over the deck, and crashed back into the water – an incident captured in videos obtained by Reuters.
The previously unreported episode, which involved two vessels built by US defence tech rivals Saronic and BlackSea Technologies, is one of a series of recent setbacks in the Pentagon’s push to build a fleet of autonomous vessels, according to a dozen people familiar with the programme.
Weeks earlier, during a separate Navy test, the captain of a support boat was thrown into the water after another autonomous BlackSea vessel it was towing suddenly accelerated, capsizing the support boat, according to four people familiar with the matter. The captain was rescued and declined medical attention. The incident was first reported by Defence Scoop.
Both incidents stemmed from a combination of software failures and human error, including breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information.
The Navy, Saronic and BlackSea declined to comment on the incidents.
The videos showing the drone crash were verified by two Reuters sources, the landscape matching terrain imagery, the GARC-096 name ID and the structure of the boat matching file imagery of Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC).
US military leaders, seeing the outsized impact of maritime drones in the Ukraine war, have repeatedly said they need autonomous swarms of aerial and maritime drones to hinder a potential advance by China across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan itself has begun acquiring its maritime drones.
The drones being developed in Ukraine, which often look like speedboats without seats, and are capable of carrying weapons, explosives and surveillance equipment, are primarily remote-controlled and cost close to $250,000 – making them optimal for kamikaze missions that have effectively neutralised Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
The US, meanwhile, is aiming to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms and without human command – a more ambitious task at a higher price point; as much as a few million dollars per speedboat.
The recent test failures highlight the challenges facing the Navy’s effort to deploy the nascent technologies, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. It will need to adapt its “tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they can’t do.”
But the Navy’s problems go beyond getting the boats to work: its autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit has also been rocked by the firing of its top admiral, and a top Pentagon official voiced concerns about the programme in a candid meeting with Navy brass last month, Reuters found.
Since the most recent incident, the Pentagon’s Defence Innovation Unit (DIU), which had acquired technology for the tests, has indefinitely paused a contract valued close to $20 million with L3Harris, one of the companies providing autonomous software used to control some of the vessels, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the cause of the accidents or the L3Harris contract being paused, which has not been previously reported.
A Pentagon spokesperson said it conducted drone tests as part of a “competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry.”
L3Harris declined to comment on the contract and directed questions to the DIU. The DIU declined to comment.
“L3Harris stands behind the safety, integrity and capability of our autonomy command-and-control product,” said Toby Magsig, who oversees L3Harris’ autonomous software products.
Rise of sea drones
To accelerate its drone effort, the Pentagon in 2023 launched the $1 billion Replicator programme, through which branches like the US Navy and the DIU planned to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, along with the software to control them. The first systems from this programme are due to be announced this month.
The Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which is producing dozens of its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats a month, according to procurement records.
Saronic, which was recently valued at $4 billion in a funding round backed by Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC, makes the competitive sea drone Corsair, but has yet to announce a major contract. Federal procurement records show the company has generated at least $20 million from prototype agreements.
“These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness,” acting chief of naval operations Jim Kilby said during a visit to BlackSea’s facility in June.
Navy turmoil
Since returning to the office, President Donald Trump has made fielding swarms of drones a top military priority. Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” passed last month included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems.
But, so far, the Navy’s approach has faced scepticism under the new administration.
In April, the Navy’s key drone boat procurement unit – known as Programme Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) – touted a successful demonstration of the software used to control BlackSea’s vessels in a post on LinkedIn, hailing it as “a major step forward in advancing #maritime autonomy.”
In response, Colin Carroll, then-chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defence Steven Feinberg, suggested the programme was duplicating other efforts within the Pentagon. “I have a feeling that there are changes in this programme’s future,” he replied to the LinkedIn post. Carroll, who is no longer with the Pentagon, declined to comment further.
The PEO USC was recently placed under review, according to four people familiar with the matter, due to a series of setbacks, and could be restructured or shut down.
This comes two months after the Navy said it had sacked the unit’s leader, Rear Admiral Kevin Smith, due to a loss of confidence in his leadership after the Naval Inspector General substantiated a complaint against him. Reuters was unable to contact Smith.
During a meeting last month, Feinberg grilled Navy officials about their autonomous vessel capabilities, including those being fielded by the PEO USC, according to three people briefed on the meeting. Feinberg was unimpressed by some of the capabilities being acquired by the Navy and questioned whether they were cost-effective, the people said.
A Pentagon spokesperson said, “We’re not going to comment on private internal meetings” and directed questions about PEO USC to the Navy.
The Navy declined to comment on the meeting or the acquisition unit being put under review. Spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said the PEO USC stands by its mission, including its role as acquisition authority for the maintenance and modernisation of unmanned maritime systems.
The turmoil comes as shipbuilders and software providers are angling to secure even larger autonomous maritime projects, such as unmanned submarines and cargo-carrying ships.
Last week, the PEO USC started accepting proposals for the Modular Attack Surface Craft to acquire medium and large vessels capable of carrying containers, surveillance equipment, and conducting strikes.
TX Hammes, an autonomous weapons expert and Atlantic Council fellow, said the Navy is in uncharted waters, trying to overhaul decades of tradition at high speed.
“You’ve got a system that’s used to building big things, taking years to make a decision, and now suddenly you’re asking them to move fast,” he said.
EXCLUSIVE: Omid Abtahi (American Gods, The Mandalorian) has joined the recurring cast of Prime Video‘s new biblical drama Joseph of Egypt, from writer and executive producer Craig Wright.
The 8-episode limited series, led by Adam Hashmi in the titular role, is currently in production in New Mexico. Joseph of Egypt is co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios and The Chosen creator Dallas Jenkins‘ 5&2 Studios.
Joseph of Egypt tells the Old Testament story about Joseph, who, betrayed by jealous brothers, defies all expectations and rises to incredible power in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. But when his past catches up with him, he is confronted with the ultimate test.
Abtahi will portray Ankuh.
The cast also includes Alexander Siddig as Jacob, Babak Tafti as Simeon, Daniel Peera as Reuben, and Iris Bahr as Leah. Recurring cast members are Dakota Shapiro as Ashur, Tannaz Shastiri as Eliuram, Ruben Vernier as Gad, Amir Malaklou as Judah, Moran Atias as Bilhah, Necar Zadegan as Zilapah, Matisse Ratron-Neal as Issachar, Shani Atias as Rachel, and Siya Maleki as Levi.
Wright serves as writer, executive producer, and showrunner. The Chosen‘s Jenkins is executive producing under his 5&2 Studios banner; he currently has a multi-faceted first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios. The deal gave Prime Video streaming rights to the first five seasons of The Chosen and the new unscripted series The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls.
Abtahi began his career working as a series regular on FX’s Over There. His list of TV credits includes regular and recurring roles onShowtime’s Emmy-winning Homeland, A&E’s Damien, FOX’s 24, and Showtime’s Sleeper Cell. Most recently, he was a series regular on Starz’s American Gods and has had recurring roles on AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead, Disney+’s The Mandalorian, and Amazon’s The Boys.
His film credits include the fourth installment of The Hunger Games franchise, directed by Francis Lawrence and starring opposite Jennifer Lawrence. He also made notable appearances in the 2012 Oscar Award-winning film Argo, directed by Ben Affleck, Brothers, directed by Jim Sheridan, and The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, directed by Rawson M. Thurber. Abtahi is repped by Greene Talent.
KJ Apa opens up about the struggles of fatherhood in the public eye
KJ Apa chose one of his Riverdale costars to be the godfather to his now-three-year-old son.
Speaking to People magazine, the 28-year-old actor revealed that his longtime costar Charles Melton — who played Reggie Mantle in the teen drama — stepped into that role after being present for Sasha’s birth.
Apa welcomed his son with ex-partner Clara Berry in 2021. He recalled that Melton, 34, was in the delivery room when Berry gave birth, and it felt natural for him to later become Sasha’s godfather. Apa said the choice came from their close bond forged during their Riverdale years.
But behind the joyful milestone, Apa admitted life after Riverdale wasn’t easy. When the hit CW show wrapped in 2023, he struggled with a sense of self.
“When I finished that show, [I] went through a year of really having to re-gather who I was, like re-remember who I was,” he shared. “And I definitely had this crisis of identity with a whole lot of other things that I was going through.”
He added that the challenges of fatherhood and a public breakup with Berry only added to the whirlwind.
“Being a dad, my son being one years old at the time, going through a breakup with his mom and navigating all of that while trying to pick up the pieces of who I was,” Apa explained. Still, he sees the struggles as part of the journey. “I asked for this life… And I’m grateful for it and I’m glad I went through it.”
Individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are prone to developing dangerous blood clots, interfering with future treatments aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk. However, research from the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, discovered a new biological pathway that explains this increased risk.1,2
Image credit: olegganko | stock.adobe.com
“[Individuals] living with type 2 diabetes are vulnerable to increased risk of blood clots,” Freda Passam, MD, PhD, FRACP, FRCPA, a professor from the Central Clinical School, said in a news release. “These exciting findings identify a whole new way to reduce this risk and help prevent life-threatening complications like heart attack and stroke.”2
Relationship Between Blood Clots and T2D
As cell fragments, platelets are the smallest component of the blood and essentially stop bleeding when an individual is injured. Platelets cluster together to form a plug when the blood vessel is damaged and then clot to stop the blood loss. Platelet hyperactivity refers to the tendency of platelets to become overactive and release their contents when stimulated. This condition is commonly observed in individuals with diabetes. The study authors noted that in Australia alone, where the study was conducted, around 1.2 million individuals were living with T2D as of 2021, and the condition is more common in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and in rural and regional populations.1,3
“Cardiovascular disease [CVD] is a leading cause of death in this group, partly due to the heightened activity of platelets—the tiny blood cells that help form clots. This heightened platelet sensitivity to clotting also makes traditional anticoagulant treatments less effective in people with [T2D], limiting the options to reduce the risk of [CVD],” Passam said in the news release.2
SEC61B Targeting for Prevention
Researchers used a high-sensitivity proteomic platform to identify protein changes in platelets that may explain platelet hyperactivity among individuals with diabetes. The study authors compared platelets from individuals with diabetes and coronary artery disease to those from individuals with similar risk factors but without diabetes.1
A total of 76 participants were included, 42 with T2D and 34 without, from 2020 and 2021. The researchers detected over 2400 intracellular proteins and found that platelets release proteins differently in individuals with T2D. They discovered increased SEC61B levels in platelets from both humans and mice with hyperglycemia, as well as megakaryocytes from hyperglycemic mice. This protein, SEC61B, is reported to disrupt calcium balance inside platelets, which causes them to clump together and clot.1,2
The results demonstrated that SEC61B was significantly higher in platelets from individuals with high fructosamine, while other proteins like SEC61A and SEC61G were not different. To confirm this data, researchers studied another group of patients and found that SEC61B was low in healthy individuals but significantly increased in platelets from individuals with T2D.1,2
The findings suggest that SEC61B causes calcium leakage in platelets, leading to increased platelet reactivity. Although treatments targeting SEC61B are still in development, the study authors noted that preclinical animal trials could begin within 1 to 2 years, with potential therapies for patients estimated in the next decade.1,2
REFERENCES
1. Kong Y, Rehan R, Moreno C, et al. SEC61B regulates calcium flux and platelet hyperreactivity in diabetes. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2025. doi: 10.1172/JCI184597
2. New discovery could lower heart attack and stroke risk for people with type 2 diabetes. EurekAlert! News release. August 15, 2025. Accessed August 20, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1094712
3. Cleveland Clinic. Platelets. News release. Updated August 26, 2024. Accessed August 20, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22879-platelets
Even though the Pixel 10 leaks and rumors felt as if they arrived in a steady firehose before today’s Made by Google event — compelling the company to release a teaser video pre-announcing the new phone’s existence a month ago — Google still delivered details it somehow managed to keep private until it was ready to share.
And that delivery was refreshingly fun for a tech event. The Tonight Show host Jimmy Kimmel led the proceedings in a very late-night talk show format, bringing on several special guests from media, sports and yes, Google’s own experts to show off the products and features they’ve been working on for today’s announcements.
Watch this: Everything Announced at Made by Google 2025 in 7 Minutes
Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL are real
Surprise, Google announced new phones! OK, this was the least surprising part of the event, but it still feels good to finally know what exists and when it’s coming. Preorders for the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL begin today and will be in stores and shipping starting August 28.
Joseph Maldonado/CNET
Pixel 10 Pro Fold opens the next chapter of foldables
Folding phones so far have shared an Achilles Hinge: small particulates like sand can get inside the case and really mess things up. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is one of the first to have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning you can take it to the beach.
Joseph Maldonado/CNET
Pixel Watch 4 talks to Gemini and is your new health coach
The Pixel Watch 4 includes new fitness options like real-time guidance while exercising. And if you forgot to start a workout, the watch (with AI help) can detect the activity in the background and remind you of it later, giving you credit for the effort you made. It’s also the only smartwatch that can detect a loss of pulse and call emergency services automatically.
The Pixel Watch 4 has a familiar design with an upgraded domed screen that’s 50% brighter than the Pixel Watch 3, with a 3,000-nit peak.
Joseph Maldonado/CNET
Pixel Buds 2a are more affordable earbuds
Joining the Pixel Buds 2 Pro in the market are Pixel Buds 2a, an affordable ($130) pair of wireless earbuds that feature active noise cancellation, a smaller and lighter for all, and a twist-to-adjust stabilizer feature for setting a comfortable fit.
Joseph Maldonado/CNET
Pixel Buds Pro 2 owners will see new features
Coming in a software update next month, Pixel Buds Pro 2 owners will be able to answer calls or send them to voicemail with a nod or shake of the head. You’ll be able to talk to Gemini live in noisy locations, and benefit from adaptive audio that applies noise cancellation while letting important sounds come through. At the other end, a new feature will protect your hearing from very loud sounds.
Magic Cue is a Gemini assistant that pulls data from your correspondence
In the rollout of all the various AI technologies in the industry, the current stretch goal is “agentic” interactions with software: Having an AI that knows all sorts of details about you and can act to get the important stuff in front of you when needed. (And do it in a privacy-first way, one would hope.)
Magic Cue is Google’s implementation. It’s a new Gemini-based feature that can look through your earlier messages, emails and photos to pull details about things like restaurant reservations and flight times. Magic Cue runs on the Pixel device itself, so sensitive data stays private and not shared to the cloud.
A lot of Gemini AI intelligence is still coming soon
At the start of the event, Kimmell sat down in typical talk-show format with Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of platforms and devices, to chat about Gemini and the marvels of AI. Aside from Magic Cue, which will be shipping on the Pixel 10 phones, a lot of the features we’ve been hearing about are still on the horizon.
“For instance, Gemini could do something like plan a team celebration dinner for 12 people tonight,” he said. “It might go find a restaurant that’ll accommodate that group…. Look for a karoake place nearby and maybe even order custom T-shirts for the celebration.”
And when will that be possible? Kimmell asked. “A lot sooner than people think,” Osterloh replied. “This kind of thing is coming this year.”
Rick Osterloh and Jimmy Kimmell at Made by Google 2025.
Cole Kan, CNET
The Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL can zoom to 100x with AI help
Pro Res Zoom on the Pixel 10 Pro phones pushes zooming far beyond what would seem to be possible with typical small cameras. Usually when you zoom beyond the optical limits of the cameras, details get fuzzy as the software upscales the image. With Pro Res Zoom, when you go beyond 30x zoom, it uses generative AI to build a sharper version. CNET’s Andrew Lanxon got both impressive and head-scratching results while making photos in Paris using the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
The original zoomed image (left) and the Pro Res Zoom version (right).
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
At 100x zoom, the Pro Res Zoom feature’s generative AI turned the plane (left) into an odd bundle of sticks (right).
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Camera Coach uses AI to encourage better photos
Smartphone cameras have employed AI for several years, such as identifying subjects in order to blur the background for Portrait modes or quickly snapping several shots at multiple exposures and blending them together to create well-balanced lighting throughout. Now Google is using AI to help you take better photos.
Camera Coach is a new feature in the Pixel Camera app that looks at the scene in front of the lens and generates multiple suggestions for how to improve the photo before it’s captured. To show this off, podcaster Alex Cooper brought Fallon out to be her model and sat him down on a couch. When she activated the feature, Camera Coach suggested that she move the camera closer to the subject, position his head in the upper portion of the frame, lower the camera to eye level and turn on Portrait mode.
“To all the girls that are watching, I personally know how hard it is to train your boyfriend or your husband to get that perfect shot,” said Cooper. “And now Camera Coach can just train all the boys for us.”
The Camera Coach feature helped better frame Jimmy Fallon for a portrait photo.
Google/Screenshot by Viva Tung/CNET
Pixel 10 supports Qi2 magnetic charging
The Qi2 spec includes not just faster charging but also an array of magnets on the back for connecting to accessories. Sound familiar? The presenters mentioned Apple’s MagSafe system, then paused with the realization that they probably shouldn’t have name-checked it during the Google event. On the Pixel 10 phones, it’s called Pixelsnap and should work with accessories made for Apple’s ecosystem too.
Pixel 10 phones connect magnetically to accessories, which Google calls Pixelsnap.
Joseph Maldonado/CNET
Pixel 10 will be available in Mexico
In an impressive segment demonstrating Gemini live translation during a phone call, musician Karen Polinesia, who speaks Spanish, announced that for the first time, the Pixel 10 will be available for sale in Mexico.
This article is being updated; stay tuned for more.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent approval of the first CRISPR-Cas9–based gene therapy has marked a major milestone in biomedicine, validating genome editing as a promising treatment strategy for disorders like sickle cell disease, muscular dystrophy, and certain cancers.
CRISPR-Cas9, often likened to “molecular scissors,” allows scientists to cut DNA at targeted sites to snip, repair, or replace genes. But despite its power, Cas9 poses a critical safety risk: The active enzyme can linger in cells and cause unintended DNA breaks — so-called off-target effects — which may trigger harmful mutations in healthy genes.
Now, researchers in the labs of Ronald T. Raines, MIT professor of chemistry, and Amit Choudhary, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, have engineered a precise way to turn Cas9 off after its job is done — significantly reducing off-target effects and improving the clinical safety of gene editing. Their findings are detailed in a new paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
“To ‘turn off’ Cas9 after it achieves its intended genome-editing outcome, we developed the first cell-permeable anti-CRISPR protein system,” says Raines, the Roger and Georges Firmenich Professor of Natural Products Chemistry. “Our technology reduces the off-target activity of Cas9 and increases its genome-editing specificity and clinical utility.”
The new tool — called LFN-Acr/PA — uses a protein-based delivery system to ferry anti-CRISPR proteins into human cells rapidly and efficiently. While natural Type II anti-CRISPR proteins (Acrs) are known to inhibit Cas9, their use in therapy has been limited because they’re often too bulky or charged to enter cells, and conventional delivery methods are too slow or ineffective.
LFN-Acr/PA overcomes these hurdles using a component derived from anthrax toxin to introduce Acrs into cells within minutes. Even at picomolar concentrations, the system shuts down Cas9 activity with remarkable speed and precision — boosting genome-editing specificity up to 40 percent.
Bradley L. Pentelute, MIT professor of chemistry, is an expert on the anthrax delivery system, and is also an author of the paper.
The implications of this advance are wide-ranging. With patent applications filed, LFN-Acr/PA represents a faster, safer, and more controllable means of harnessing CRISPR-Cas9, opening the door to more-refined gene therapies with fewer unintended consequences.
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and a Gilliam Fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute awarded to lead author Axel O. Vera, a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry.
Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface is on the brink of completing a loan move to AC Milan that could end Rasmus Hojlund’s chances of joining the Serie A giants.
Milan had been keen to sign Hojlund on loan from Manchester United.
However, the Denmark forward, 22, has stalled on a deal because the structure being negotiated did not include an obligation to buy.
Milan have now moved for Boniface with a similar deal, but it is only set to contain an option to turn the move for the Nigerian into a permanent transfer next summer.
Napoli are also on the hunt for a number nine after Romelu Lukaku suffered a thigh injury that could rule him out for up to four months.
Earlier this month, Hojlund declared his intention to remain at United after an inconsistent first couple of seasons.
Since then, his club has signed Slovenia international Benjamin Sesko in a £73.7m deal.
Hojlund was then left on the bench throughout United’s final pre-season match against Fiorentina, then was omitted from Ruben Amorim’s squad completely for the Premier League defeat by Arsenal.
Amorim said he had taken the decision because Hojlund “had similar characteristics” to Sesko, who made his debut against the Gunners as a substitute.
