Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has been hit with a significant transfer setback in his bid to be reunited with Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand.
Amorim keen on midfield reinforcements
Having secured the signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, United are now looking to sign a striker, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko the leading name on their list.
United have had contact with both Leipzig and Sesko’s camp as they look to finalise a deal. If or when this gets over the line, the Red Devils are then expected to shift their attention towards reinforcing other areas of the squad.
Amorim is believed to be eyeing a midfielder and a goalkeeper. During United’s 2-2 draw with Everton at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, it was glaringly clear that the team could do with at least one more addition in the middle of the park.
United have been linked with a number of targets including Douglas Luiz (Juventus), Ederson (Atalanta), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) and of course, Hjulmand.
Hjulmand an option for United
A report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that the possibility of a Hjulmand and Amorim reuniting at Old Trafford was firmly on the cards.
Hjulmand joined Sporting from Italian outfit Lecce in August 2023 for a £15.8m sum. He thrived under Amorim, helping Sporting win the Portuguese top-flight in his first season and then following that up with another league title last term.
The Dane has caught the eye with his commanding performances and is not only attracting interest from United but is also rumoured to be on the radar of Arsenal, Manchester City, and Juventus.
But it’s Juventus who have recently appeared as United’s chief competitor in the race to land Hjulmand. Juventus are said to have attempted to lure Sporting with a swap deal involving Douglas Luiz, but the proposal failed to materialise.
Now, a fresh update has been issued, indicating that the Old Lady have taken a giant step towards beating United to Hjulmand’s signature.
Signficant Hjulmand update
According to Corriere dello Sport, Hjulmand is pushing to join Juventus and has even reached a “preliminary agreement” with them over personal terms.
“Hjulmand is Juve’s top target. Currently at Sporting Lisbon, he is ready to return to Italy after his stint at Lecce, which launched his career and led to the move to Portugal. He’s pushing to join Juventus and has already had a productive discussion with the club’s management.”
“That conversation has led to a preliminary agreement on a four-year contract worth €3 million per season.”
Juventus’ biggest problem is Sporting’s asking price. The José Alvalade Stadium club are adamant that Hjulmand will only leave if his €60m release clause is triggered.
The Serie A giants consider this sum prohibitive and are hoping to bring it down to €30–40m. Negotiations remain ongoing to try and find a breakthrough.
Meanwhile, these developments will certainly jolt United into life if they intend to press ahead with their plan to snap up Hjulmand.
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
