Arsenal and Manchester City are tracking Sporting midfielder Morten Hjulmand, who criticized the Gunners' tactics when the two sides met in the Champions League last season. The 27-year-old Denmark international has been at Sporting since 2023, joining from Lecce for around £18m. Sporting inserted an €80 million (£68.9m) release clause in his contract, but reports suggest they may accept as little as €40 million (£34.5m) this summer.
Hjulmand’s impact at Sporting
Since arriving in Lisbon, Hjulmand has made 142 appearances, scoring 10 goals from his holding midfield role. He has been a key figure for the Portuguese side, attracting interest from top European clubs. Portuguese outlet A Bola reports that Arsenal are ‘considering’ the midfielder, while Manchester City’s director of football, Hugo Viana, is a known admirer. Viana moved from Sporting to the Etihad last year, giving City inside knowledge of Hjulmand’s abilities.
Interest from Italy and Manchester United
AC Milan, managed by Hjulmand’s former coach Ruben Amorim, are also keen, but without Champions League football next season, they appear out of the race. Manchester United have been linked previously but were not mentioned in the latest Portuguese report. Sporting are reportedly willing to negotiate well below the release clause, making a move more feasible for Premier League clubs.
Hjulmand’s criticism of Arsenal
Despite the interest, Hjulmand was unimpressed with Arsenal’s approach in the Champions League semi-final second leg, which ended in a goalless draw. He said: ‘I think a lot stops during the game so we couldn’t get the rhythm that we wanted to. A little bit boring. 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. When we did get the rhythm we did create a lot of chances, especially in the first half. But at the end we didn’t create enough to win the game to be honest.’
Despite these comments, A Bola claims that playing for Arsenal would be ‘fulfilling a childhood dream’ for Hjulmand. The midfielder’s future remains uncertain, but with a reduced price tag and interest from multiple clubs, a summer move to the Premier League appears likely.
