Manchester United’s midfield had a threadbare look to it a week ago with Ruben Amorim without four midfielders ahead of the clash against Tottenham Hotspur.
While Manuel Ugarte returned for the Everton game and even went on to score a fantastic equaliser, the head coach is still without Kobbie Mainoo, Toby Collyer and Mason Mount.
And while he was forced to play Casemiro in back-to-back games, the truth is the Brazilian can no longer operate at the required levels with the head coach desperate to move him and Christian Eriksen on due to the lack of intensity they provide.
Due to so many injuries, Amorim has been forced to play Bruno Fernandes as a deep-lying playmaker even though the club captain’s best position is as an attacking midfielder.
Hjulmand is a long-term target
Which is why the Red Devils are looking at Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand as an option with the head coach a huge fan of his former skipper.
The Dane was brought to Lisbon as Ugarte’s replacement by Amorim and he has taken to the Liga Portugal like a duck to water, excelling as a shield in front of the back four.
Amorim had said during his stint as Sporting boss that Hjulmand’s positioning and anticipation was top-class, something which differentiated him from Ugarte.
“They are completely different characteristics”, Amorim had said back in September 2023. “Morten doesn’t have Ugarte’s ability to find players from all sides of the pitch with incredible speed. Morten has, and Ugarte didn’t have, the ability to read the game, anticipate moves and be well positioned.”
The Denmark international has three goals and one assist this season and would welcome a reunion with his former boss with the combative midfielder not shy about admitting his desire to play in the Premier League.
“I’d say that is a destination [Premier League] I could see myself going to in the future,” Hjulmand had been quoted as saying. “Whether it’s a dream, I don’t know. But it is a goal for me to play in the Premier League one day.”
And now, Jornal de Notícias have claimed that the 25-year-old has a release clause in the region of €80 million with the Portuguese giants open to agreeing a deal for a lower fee, which will suit INEOS owing to PSR concerns.
The likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan are also eyeing the midfielder along with United’s fellow league rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Available for less than his release clause
“Hjulmand is one of the Lion’s main assets and one of the players with the highest market value. According to what JN has learned, the Dane has several clubs interested and in the corridors of Alvalade it is already known that it will be very difficult to keep him at the end of the season. Therefore, decisions are already being made based on this.
The player has a contract with the Lions until 2028 and a clause of 80 million euros, however JN knows that there is room to negotiate for a lower amount. During the last season, Hjulmand has already been linked with Manchester United, Barcelona PSG, Tottenham and Inter.”
Sporting had signed him from Lecce for only €18 million which means they will likely make a huge profit should they sell him in the summer. His current market value stands at €45 million with his current deal valid until 2028.
Apart from Hjulmand, Amorim also has his eyes on Geovany Quenda and Viktor Gyokeres. It will be interesting to see if INEOS allow the coach to acquire so many former proteges next summer, a ploy that backfired spectacularly when Erik ten Hag was in charge.
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
