Sporting Transfer Market: Hjulmand in Talks with Club Officials Regarding England and Italy

It's been widely known that a verbal agreement exists between Sporting's SAD administration, Morten Hjulmand, and his representatives for the Dane to depart this summer for a fee below his €80M release clause. While shrouded in some secrecy, sources close to A BOLA indicate that the dossier continues to progress steadily, with the most likely destinations currently being the English Premier League and Italy's Serie A.

Spanish media recently reported that the Lions' number 52 was already in advanced negotiations with Atlético Madrid at the express request of their coach, Diego Simeone. However, this is not the case, at least for now, though it's well-known that market winds can shift at a near-cyclonic pace.

Let's break it down. The understanding for the midfielder's departure at a sum lower than his release clause—estimated between €40M and €50M—came about after Juventus showed strong interest last summer. The player's stock with the Old Lady rose exponentially when the two teams met in the Champions League group stage this past season, but it significantly cooled once the Turin club prioritized strengthening other positions on the field. This is partly because the number 52's role is already filled by a highly-regarded, quality player who wears the captain's armband, Manuel Locatelli. Furthermore, the director most interested in Hjulmand, sporting director Damien Comolli, recently left the club. So, for now, the process is on ice, but things could heat up at any moment…

Another Italian connection is evident through AC Milan's potential interest in the Danish international. Their new coach, Ruben Amorim, is an admirer of the player's qualities, having recommended his signing for Sporting from Lecce in 2023. However, the Rossoneri are not in a period of financial ease, especially after failing to qualify for the 2026/27 Champions League. Nevertheless, Amorim has consistently demonstrated during his time leading Sporting a remarkable persuasive ability with club management when he targets a specific player. He could very well convince Milan officials to make an effort to secure the Alvalade captain.

In the wealthy English league, many clubs have the midfielder on their radar, from Arsenal, who eliminated the Lions in the Champions League quarter-finals, to Manchester City, where sporting director… Hugo Viana holds sway.

About a week ago, the number 52 gave an interview to the Transferguru podcast, revealing that he would soon sit down with Alvalade club officials to discuss this matter. However, according to A BOLA's findings, a formal meeting won't be necessary as both parties have been in constant contact. The player believes that, due to his work ethic and captaincy, this is the appropriate approach. And so it has been, avoiding conflict scenarios like the one that marked the Lions' summer of 2025: Gyokeres' departure to Arsenal…