Man Utd £500m Midfield Transfer List Sparks Confusion Around Amorim as Man City Plot Stunning Hijack
It’s becoming harder to tell what kind of player Ruben Amorim truly wants to recruit as Manchester United is being connected to midfielder after midfielder.
Man Utd has apparently been pursuing Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand for a while, and Portuguese publication Record has once again mentioned him according to Sport Witness.
There are some certain things to know about the young lad. Hjulmand joined Sporting from Lecce for €19.5 million in 2023, and he has over 100 appearances for the team.
Trending
His transfermarkt valuation is €50 million, and Dane has a €80 million release clause. According to the report, there would likely be a “January transfer battle” between Manchester United and Manchester City over Hjulmand.
Unsurprisingly, the Manchester giants have taken notice of his form and are “following him closely” in the lead-up to the winter window.
Due to their connections to Sporting through United manager Amorim and City’s director of football, Hugo Viana, both teams are familiar with the 26-year-old, making the transfer rumour a simple one to fabricate.
Hjulmand rejected offers to “triple his salary” in the summer, according to Sporting president Frederico Varandas.
However, the source says that January might bring him “headaches” as City and United “promise” to make a move for the midfield player.
If Hjulmand stays with Sporting through the end of the season, he will reportedly receive a loyalty bonus. The Portuguese team is also sure that they won’t undercut his €80 million (£69.8 million) release clause.
The list of Manchester United midfielders has increase to eight
Fichajes linked Athletic Club’s Oihan Sancet to a move to Old Trafford on Friday, while talkSPORT linked six other midfielders to the same move. Both stories were covered by football365.
The latter, which stated that Manchester United is open to signing two midfielders in 2026—with Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, Chelsea’s Andrey Santos, Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller all valued—surprisingly included no mention of Hjulmand.
Amorim’s midfield shortlist now includes eight players, including long-time target Hjulmand.
The number of midfield targets indicates that Manchester United is committed to improving there, the calibre and diversity of them are perplexing.
Although there is a warning that Manchester United is apparently thinking about buying two midfielders, the many profiles being associated with the Red Devils either indicate that they are unsure of their goals or that the reporters are merely speculating. or both. Both, of course.
If you watch Bruno Fernandes game closely, you will see he can set the tempo and drop deep, but he’s not very good at either of those things.
Since he is Amorim’s most dependable goal scorer and creator, United needs him higher up the pitch. His defensive qualities are what he lacks.
He’s not a Patrick Vieira type who runs up and down the pitch, winning tackles and making interceptions, and he’s not even close to being a prime Casemiro, the kind Amorim wishes he had.
It’s obvious that the Portuguese manager needs a lot more hard-working player to go with Fernandes, who is an undeniable starter in Amorim’s double pivot midfield. If Casemiro were indeed five years younger.
No undiscovered treasures will be discovered, unlike what United nearly accomplished with Moises Caicedo.
Underappreciated Premier League and Championship players like Anderson and Wharton, or unknown quantities like Baleba and Santos, are suddenly fetching much more prices than their present teams did.
Both Stiller and Santos can play as a No. 6, 8, or 10, but United needs to improve their defensive stability and get the most out of Fernandes, not their best role.
Despite their similarities, Gallagher is known for his intensity. A manager’s dream, the man has an unmatched engine.
However, does he possess the defensive output and tempo-dictating skills needed for Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system? Not likely.
Anderson, Wharton, and Baleba have all shown success in the Premier League and fit Man Utd’s profile. Clive, I think Brighton midfielder Baleba would be the ideal addition.
Hjulmand is comparable but has never played in the Premier League. Of the eight players, he may be the most desirable addition, but United should never have paid £70 million for him.
Then Sancet hardly merits a word. The source is, well, sorted. He is an attacking midfielder. Everyone knows that United will sign Baleba at the end of the current campaign.
However, he will cost about £100 million. And they won’t think twice about paying it because they know Manchester United.
