United go head-to-head with City for midfield monster both clubs already know well – report

Manchester United need improvements all over the pitch to bounce back from last season’s shocking 15th-place Premier League finish.

Headlines have been dominated by the importance of bringing in a new striker, and there are big question marks over Andre Onana in the United goal.

But in between there has all too often been a gaping hole in the middle of the park, a problem which raised its head once again in last week’s pre-season friendly against Leeds United.

Hjulmand interest

United have long been interested in Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand, with links inevitably intensifying after Ruben Amorim swapped Lisbon for Manchester last year.

The Danish midfielder would be an excellent recruit, giving Amorim the legs he badly needs in the middle of the park, but the Red Devils face an expensive battle for his signature.

A Bola report that after Juventus failed with a bid of between €30m and €40m for the 26-year-old, Sporting’s resolve to hold out for his €80m release clause “or thereabouts” was hardened.

Since then the Serie A giants backed out and Sporting “sent a signal to the market that they don’t want to let the player go”, meaning it would take something special to prise him away from the José Alvalade Stadium.

Uphill battle for the Dane

A Bola claim that United were “one of the main recipients” of Sporting’s message that they don’t intend to sell, as were Manchester City. This is because the Red Devils are established fans of the Dane, who is a “highly sought-after player on the market” and is particularly attractive to his former manager.

City, meanwhile, received the warning because their current Director of Football Hugo Viana left Sporting earlier this year and is thought to fancy a reunion with the player to add depth to Pep Guardiola’s midfield options.

Thus United would have to go head-to-head with their crosstown rivals to prise Hjulmand away from a club that don’t want to sell him – a mammoth task.

The Old Trafford club are already thought to be accepting that the player is out of their price range. A Bola’s claims today could indicate that interest remains in the midfielder, or could simply be an attempt to draw out the saga and keep the price high in case other suitors come knocking.

Joe Ponting

Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.