Jose Mourinho Already Identifies First Transfer Target for Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho has reportedly targeted Sporting Lisbon captain Morten Hjulmand for Real Madrid, should he take over the Spanish giants after the current season, according to COPE. The Spanish outlet suggests that the Portuguese manager, who most recently coached another leading club in his homeland, Benfica, is highly impressed by the Danish midfielder.

Hjulmand was a pivotal figure in the Lisbon 'Lions' securing consecutive titles in the previous two campaigns, a performance that caught the eye of 'The Special One'. The 26-year-old Dane joined Sporting in 2023 and has since made 141 appearances, scoring 10 goals for the Portuguese capital club. Prior to that, he played for Austrian side Admira Wacker between 2018 and 2021, and for Italian club Lecce from 2021 to 2023. Morten Hjulmand is under contract with Sporting until the summer of 2028. Real Madrid's midfield is in need of reinforcement, especially after two of its biggest names, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, departed over the last two seasons. Expectations are high that Real Madrid will officially unveil Jose Mourinho as their new head coach after their final La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.