Manchester United and Arsenal battle for midfielder - Transfer agreement already in place
Arsenal and Manchester United transfer tussle for Morten Hjulmand reported in Portugal
Manchester United and Arsenal are now emerging as the two clubs most strongly positioned for Morten Hjulmand.
The Sporting captain’s expected summer exit increasingly looking like a straight Premier League battle.
In recent weeks, Manchester City had appeared to be leading the race after reports in Portugal claimed Hugo Viana’s relationship with Hjulmand gave the Premier League champions an important advantage.
Right after, Manchester United appeared to have overtaken their rivals.
Now the latest reports from Portugal place both United and Arsenal at the front of the queue instead, with both clubs pushing seriously for the Danish midfielder ahead of the summer window.
Agreement dates back months
One of the more interesting details emerging from Portugal is that Hjulmand was already close to leaving Sporting earlier in the season.
According to Correio da Manhã, the midfielder had the opportunity to move in January, but instead reached an agreement with Sporting’s hierarchy to stay for the rest of the season and leave this summer.
That helps explain why Sporting have appeared relatively calm throughout the growing transfer noise around the player.
There is now said to be an understanding in place allowing Hjulmand to leave for around €40m (£34m), despite his official release clause standing at €80m (£69m).
So this increasingly looks like a transfer pathway that has been quietly prepared for months.
Arsenal and Manchester United both make sense
The involvement of Manchester United is easy to understand. As we detailed before, the club is eager to bring more control and consistency in midfield. And as Casemiro’s exit approaches, Morten Hjulmand could be one to do the job.
But Arsenal’s position is also logical. The Gunners have been looking closely at midfield options capable of bringing structure and balance.
Also, there is *that* personal angle. Hjulmand is an Arsenal fan and even has a tattoo linked to the club, something that has surfaced repeatedly whenever his future is discussed.
However, any discussions will have to wait at least a week. The midfielder is currently recovering from the foot injury, but is close to returning and could even feature against Gil Vicente this weekend.
If that happens, it may become his final match at Sporting’s Estádio do Alvalade.
Sporting then face Torreense in the Portuguese Cup final, a game increasingly viewed in Portugal as a potential farewell occasion for the captain before his expected summer move.
What happens next
Sporting appear prepared for his departure. The player already has an informal pathway towards a transfer. And the battle increasingly looks concentrated between Manchester United and Arsenal.
Manchester City have not entirely disappeared from the picture, but the momentum around the story has clearly shifted elsewhere.
With the season nearing its end and farewell talk growing louder in Portugal, the expectation now is not really whether Hjulmand leaves. It is where he ends up once he does.
