Morten Hjulmand to Man Utd in January: The state of play

Manchester United have more chance of signing Sporting Lisbon’s Morten Hjulmand at the end of the season rather than in January, according to Football Insider.

Football Insider reports that Man Utd are big fans of the player and favourites to sign him in 2026 due to his relationship with former Sporting coach Ruben Amorim.

Reports elsewhere have claimed that United are ‘confident’ of bringing the Denmark central midfielder to Old Trafford in Janury.

However, Football Inside says it will be “incredibly difficult” to sign him in the winter with Sporting desperate to keep hold of him until the end of the season. At that point, then United will have much more chance of getting their man.

Hjulmand to Man Utd

Hjulmand has a release clause of €80m in his Sporting contract but TeamTalk reported last week that United believe they can seal a deal at around €57m.

The good relationship between the clubs, and Amorim’s presence, will help a possible deal.

The Denmark international is a player who is greatly admired by his former head coach Amorim, with the Portuguese tactician previously describing Hjulmand as more complete than Sporting predecessors Joao Palhinha and Manuel Ugarte.

The 26-year-old has been brilliant for the reigning Portuguese champions since replacing Ugarte in 2023, captaining the side to last season’s league title.

Unsurprisingly, Hjulmand has been attracting attention from elsewhere, including from Man Utd, who were in the market for a midfielder in the summer. Carlos Baleba was prioritised, but no move materialised.

Hjulmand was also explored, but as The Transfers Podcast revealed at the beginning of August, signing the Denmark international was always going to prove eminently difficult in a window in which Sporting had already lost Viktor Gyokeres.

But United are now returning for Hjulmand in 2026.

Speaking on international duty with Denmark last month, the midfielder would not be drawn on Man Utd’s interest: “I don’t react to rumours. I react to the fact that I should start [the season] at Sporting, where we have performed at a high level.

“I’d rather not answer that,” Hjulmand said evasively when pressed on whether he had talked to any clubs during the summer window.

President Frederico Varandas confirmed after the summer window that the Dane had turned down lucrative transfers that could have seen him triple his salary in favour of staying in Lisbon.

It remains to be seen if Hjulmand is willing to extend his stay in Portugal’s capital, but as far as Sporting are concerned, they are determined to keep hold of him at least until the summer. They do not want to lose their captain in January and ideally want him to sign a new long-term deal.

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