Manchester United’s need for another authoritative midfielder has not gone away. That is one reason Morten Hjulmand keeps resurfacing in their orbit.
The Sporting CP captain is not a new name at Old Trafford. He is the kind of player United have repeatedly looked at when trying to add control, aggression and leadership in the middle of the pitch. Moreover, the Lisbon club remains a market they know especially well.
Also, that Sporting connection matters here. Over the years, United have repeatedly found talent there, signing Cristiano Ronaldo in 2003, Nani in 2007, Marcos Rojo in 2014 and Bruno Fernandes in 2020. Even Manuel Ugarte, now at United after arriving from Paris Saint-Germain, had already built a strong reputation in Lisbon. That was before making the move to England.
Taken together, that is why it is reasonable to view Sporting as one of the clubs United’s recruitment department understands particularly well.
Ruben Amorim adds another layer to the connection. Manchester United’s former head coach worked with Hjulmand at Sporting, and the Danish midfielder became one of the central figures in that team’s structure after arriving from Lecce in 2023, with an €80m (£69m) release clause.
Morten immediately began working under Amorim in Lisbon. He has since become captain, which only strengthens the idea that he is not simply another decent midfielder in Portugal. Instead, he is one of the central reference points in that team.
However, as we recently covered, he is expected to be sold this summer. The Portuguese side expects to make significant profit on him and is already searching for a replacement. That’s why this story is gaining traction again.
Agent visit becomes part of wider story
Against that background, Thursday’s report from Portuguese outletO Jogo becomes a useful update. The newspaper reported that Ivan Marko Benes, from agency BTA Maps, was in Norway to watch Sporting’s Champions League match away to Bodo/Glimt.
O Jogo also said this was not the first time the agent had met or watched Hjulmand on a European trip. They pointed to a previous meeting in Munich in December, when Sporting faced Bayern.
These trips have also seen meetings held with the club. Given a renewal is unlikely, it all points to a transfer.
On its own, an agent attending a match does not prove much. Agents are often around their players, especially in Europe. Still, in Hjulmand’s case it fits a broader market picture.
He is 26, in his prime years, under a long contract and already carrying leadership responsibility at a Champions League club. Transfermarkt currently lists his market value at €50m (£43m), which sits well below the release clause but still reflects how highly he is rated.
Why Hjulmand makes sense for Manchester United
The club have been linked with the midfielder multiple times. This has especially occurred during Ruben Amorim’s tenure. But now it largely comes down to squad profile.
Hjulmand is a defensive midfielder first. He is combative, tactically tidy and comfortable doing the less glamorous work that allows others to play.
He also arrived at Sporting after captaining Lecce, so the leadership angle did not suddenly appear in Lisbon. Instead, it followed him there and then grew. Sporting’s own announcement made that clear when they signed him from Italy.
That profile aligns with what United have tried to build in midfield. Ugarte was signed from PSG in 2024 as a tough-tackling option. However, United’s wider midfield planning has remained open, especially as they continue looking for the right mix of mobility, passing range, defensive cover and personality.
Hjulmand offers a different version of that role – slightly more of an organiser, slightly more of a tempo-setter. FootyStats data shows he averages around 1.2 key passes per 90 minutes. In addition, he manages roughly 60 passes per game at a success rate above 85% this season.
The Sporting captain has also averaged around 2.7 tackles and 1.9 interceptions per 90 minutes. This places him among the most active defensive midfielders in the Portuguese league.
His defensive work is paired with strong ball recovery numbers. Hjulmand averages 6.5 ball recoveries per match, reflecting his role as the main screen in front of Sporting’s defence.
What happens next
For now, there is no sign of an imminent bid. O Jogo’s report does not go that far, and the existence of an €80m (£69m) release clause gives Sporting a strong starting position anyway. Yet this is the sort of situation that tends to keep bubbling.
Hjulmand is established, his agent is visible, major clubs are clearly aware of him, and Manchester United have both a tactical need and a long-standing familiarity with the club he plays for.
Still, when agents begin appearing regularly around European matches and several major clubs are monitoring a player that is set to leave, the transfer conversation tends to stay alive.
That appears to be exactly where the Hjulmand situation sits for Manchester United at the moment – firmly on the radar.