- Manchester United eye up Sporting Club midfielder
- Current captain of the club
- Will need to beat Liverpool to attain his signature
Manchester United have widened their search for midfield reinforcements this summer, with Morten Hjulmand emerging as the latest name on the club’s shortlist.
Change feels inevitable with Casemiro set to depart despite calls for him to remain, while Manuel Ugarte continues to attract interest from elsewhere. A revolving-door window looms, particularly in midfield, where United need both structure and depth.
The spotlight has largely fallen on Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton, and Sandro Tonali—with Anderson drawing the most attention—but Hjulmand presents a more economical route to reinforcement.
Securing him, however, will not be straightforward. Liverpool also remains in the frame, setting up a familiar battle for his signature.
Manchester United Eye Hjulmand
Hjulmand could be headed to the Premier League this summer. According to Caughtoffside, United have “identified him as a potential successor” to Casemiro.
The higher-ups are impressed with “Hjulmand’s ability to combine defensive solidity with controlled distribution.”
Hjulmand has appeared 40 times across competitions for Sporting this season, posting two goals and six assists. He is captaining the Liga Portugal giants in the Champions League, where they face Arsenal in the quarter-finals.
Amorim’s Influence
A 26-year-old Danish international, Hjulmand has been at Sporting CP since his move from Lecce in 2023.
While their paths never properly crossed at senior level, Hjulmand and Manchester United’s talismanic wing-back Patrick Dorgu shared time at Lecce—Dorgu within the academy setup—and now operate within the same Danish national side.
It was in Lisbon that Hjulmand came under the guidance of Ruben Amorim. He made an immediate impression.
Tasked with filling the void left by Joao Palhinha—who had departed for Fulham the year prior—Hjulmand not only settled into the role, but gradually displaced Manuel Ugarte as the preferred option at the base of midfield.
By the time Sporting sealed the 2023/24 title, his importance had become undeniable. A week later, following a 1-0 win away at Estoril on May 11, Amorim made his stance clear:
“I know that Ugarte and [Joao] Palhinha will be upset, but for me, [Morten] Hjulmand is the most complete player in that position.”
On 7 July 2024, Hjulmand took the captain’s armband at Sporting following Sebastian Coates’ return to his homeland with Nacional. He set the tone immediately. In his first season as captain, he drove Sporting to a second consecutive league title—the club’s first back-to-back triumph since 1953.
Is the Dane on the move?
With FC Porto five points clear—albeit with a game in hand for Sporting CP—the title race has tilted away from Hjulmand’s side, and it now looks likely they will fall short in the league.
There remains, however, a route to silverware. Sporting lead 1-0 in their Taca de Portugal semi-final against Porto, though a daunting trip to the Estadio do Dragao still awaits.
With midfield reinforcements a clear priority, Manchester United may well turn to Hjulmand as a solution.
