Arsenal and Manchester City are both tracking Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand, who publicly criticized the Gunners' tactics when the two sides met in last season's Champions League. The 27-year-old Denmark international has been a key figure for Sporting since his £18m move from Lecce in 2023, making 142 appearances and scoring 10 goals from his holding midfield role.
Release clause and potential fee
Sporting inserted an €80 million (£68.9m) release clause in Hjulmand's contract, but Portuguese outlet A Bola reports that the club is willing to accept significantly less, potentially as low as €40 million (£34.5m). This has alerted Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester City, as well as AC Milan, where his former manager Ruben Amorim is keen to reunite with him. However, Milan's lack of Champions League football next season makes a move unlikely.
Hjulmand's criticism of Arsenal
After Sporting's goalless draw with Arsenal in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final, Hjulmand expressed frustration with the Gunners' approach. 'I think a lot stops during the game so we couldn’t get the rhythm that we wanted to. A little bit boring,' he said. 'If I was a viewer from outside 0-0, also the first game 1-0 it’s not the way Sporting wants to show itself. We want to score goals, create chances and we didn’t do it today. During the game I felt a lot of stops, especially during set-pieces and it takes a lot of time out of the game.'
Interest from Manchester City and others
Manchester City's director of football Hugo Viana, who joined from Sporting last year, is a known admirer of Hjulmand. Arsenal are also reportedly considering a move, with A Bola stating that playing for the Gunners would be 'fulfilling a childhood dream' for the midfielder. Manchester United have also been linked in the past, though they were not mentioned in the latest report.
Hjulmand's profile and future
Hjulmand has been a consistent performer for Sporting, helping them win domestic honors and impressing in Europe. His ability to break up play and distribute from deep makes him an attractive option for top clubs. With a reduced fee potentially available, a summer move to the Premier League appears increasingly likely.
