Manchester City receive fresh update on Morten Hjulmand talks: “There was interest and there were conversations” | OneFootball

Manchester City have been heavily linked with Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand ahead of the summer.

The 26-year-old has established himself as a key player for Sporting since arriving in Lisbon from Lecce in Italy for €19.5 million in 2023, a move engineered by Manchester City sporting director Hugo Viana during his tenure in the same capacity at the Liga Portugal club.

Now, it appears that Viana is keen on bringing Hjulmand to the Etihad Stadium, with recent reports suggesting that Manchester City have taken concrete steps to sign the Danish midfielder and already made informal contact with Sporting.

Hjulmand, who currently dons the captain’s armband for Sporting, has started in 39 out of the 40 appearances he has made in all competitions so far this season – registering two goals and six assists.

Who else is interested in signing the Man City target?

Hjulmand’s consistency and contributions on the pitch have attracted attention from several other top clubs across leagues, in addition to Manchester City.

Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester United are also rumoured to be interested in signing the FC Copenhagen academy graduate, who is being considered as one of the most in-demand defensive midfielders on the market.

While he has an €80 million release clause at Sporting, reports have suggested that the Portuguese giants’ management are open to negotiating ​​between €40 million and €50 million.

However, following reports of Manchester City being frontrunners in the race for the midfielder, CNN Portugal journalist Nuno Farinha has cast doubt on this potential transfer.

What did Nuno Farinha say?

Farinha has stirred uncertainty on what appeared to be a potentially successful deal for Manchester City based on recent reports, mentioning that the Premier League side ‘will not be the destination for Hjulmand’.

While addressing their previous interest, the sports commentator and journalist claimed that the Blues are no longer pursuing the Sporting captain.

“The information I have is that (Manchester) City will not be the destination for Hjulmand,” Farinha said, as quoted by Sport Witness.

“It is true that in the last transfer window, in January, there was interest and there were conversations. But at this moment, City no longer have interest because they have defined other targets and are working on them.”

Farinha also eliminated Atletico Madrid from Hjulmand’s list of suitors for the upcoming transfer window but firmly maintained his stance on the midfielder making a move away from Lisbon this summer.

“I also believe Atletico Madrid will not move forward because they are very close to signing the Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Atalanta,” he added.

“I believe, 99%, that he (Hjulmand) will leave Sporting at the end of the season. But I can guarantee it will not be for (Manchester) City and apparently not for Atletico Madrid either.”

Sporting boss Rui Borges ‘practical’ about Hjulmand’s situation

Speaking in the days leading to Sporting’s recent 1-0 league win away at Estrela Amadora, head coach Rui Borges addressed the speculation around Hjulmand’s future at the club.

“I think it’s inevitable that people talk about him,” Borges said, as quoted by O Jogo and relayed by Sport Witness. “He is a great player and he is having a good season. He already had a great season last year.

“He is an important player for Sporting, for everything the team is showing, also at European level. It is natural that people talk about Morten and other Sporting players. That makes us happy, because it is a sign of individual and collective recognition.”

Borges further delivered a clear stance on Hjulmand’s situation. “Now, whether he leaves or not, I am very practical and very calm about it,” the Sporting manager added.

“I have said it several times. I am happy if he stays. If he does not stay, someone with value will come. That is part of our job, to develop players and help them grow.”

During his two-year tenure at Sporting, Hjulmand has netted nine goals and provided 12 assists in 136 appearances across all competitions.

What’s next for Manchester City?

After lifting the Carabao Cup by defeating Arsenal in the final last month, Manchester City are now vying for a domestic treble as they chase down the Gunners in the Premier League and await an FA Cup semi-final tie with Southampton.

Pep Guardiola’s side currently rank second in the English top-flight, with 64 points in 31 matches and a six-point gap between table toppers Arsenal, who have played an extra game.

With the summer transfer window approaching, City have also been be active in attempts to strengthen the squad for the 2026-27 campaign.

Their interest in Hjulmand comes ahead of Bernardo Silva’s departure at the end of the season and the English club’s endeavours to bolster their midfield, having been linked with the likes of Hertha Berlin’s Kennet Eichhorn, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes.

With two conflicting sides surfacing on City’s reported interest in Hjulmand, it remains to be seen what Viano and co determine about bringing the defensive midfielder to Manchester.