Atletico Madrid have moved into pole position to sign Danish midfielder Morten Hjulmand after agreeing personal terms, amidst interest from Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
According to Mundo Deportivo via Sport Witness, Manchester United and Arsenal have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Morten Hjulmand, as he is ready to join Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window.
With personal terms already settled, the Colchoneros are now gearing up to make a fresh approach to Sporting CP after failing to strike a deal with them in January. Arsenal and Manchester United remain in contention, but the biggest threat could come from city rivals Real Madrid.
According to Record via Sport Witness, Jose Mourinho wants Hjulmand at the Santiago Bernabeu if he joins Los Blancos after the presidential elections are done and Florentino Perez is re-elected. The Danish midfielder is aware of Mourinho’s interest and is believed to be honoured by it.
If the team in white make a move, things could get very complicated for Atletico Madrid and the English clubs. The Sporting CP skipper is considered one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. The Dane has a lot of experience under his belt, and his ability to control the tempo of games stands out.
Atletico Madrid lead race to sign Hjulmand
Manchester United are looking at him as an ideal replacement for Casemiro, who is reportedly expected to join Inter Miami soon. Meanwhile, Arsenal want to strengthen their midfield rotation by signing the 26-year-old. He will replace Christian Norgaard, who is reportedly likely to leave the North London club this summer.
While both English clubs have been front-runners for weeks, as the player is keen on playing in England, Atletico Madrid are now in pole position with personal terms already agreed. Los Rojiblancos do not have an out-and-out defensive midfielder in their ranks, and with Koke in the final phase of his career, signing Hjulmand will make a lot of sense.
The report by Mundo Deportivo has revealed that Atletico knocked on Sporting’s door with an offer of around €25 million in January, but it was nowhere close to what the Portuguese club’s valuation. The Portuguese giants reportedly have an informal agreement with the player that allows him to leave this summer for around €40-50 million, even though he has an official release clause of €80 million.
Atletico are aware of it, and are expected to make an offer accordingly. While Simeone’s team are closing in on his signature, Real Madrid could spoil the party by making a late entry. They do seek more quality in the centre of the park, with Eduardo Camavinga’s future reportedly uncertain.
Mourinho is an admirer, and if he does end up advocating for him, chances are that Los Blancos will enter the race. However, that is unlikely to happen until the results of the Real Madrid presidential elections are out.
