Report: Juventus reach agreement in principle with top midfield target | OneFootball

Juventus have reportedly agreed on personal terms with the entourage of Sporting CP captain Morten Hjulmand.

The Bianconeri are currently searching the market for at least one new midfielder, since Douglas Luiz will leave the club sooner rather than later, especially after refusing to show up for pre-season.

Moreover, Weston McKennie is facing an uncertain future, which could leave Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli without proper backups.

Juventus have an agreement with Morten Hjulmand?

In recent weeks, Hjulmand has emerged as the Old Lady’s preferred target. The club’s General Director Damien Comolli has identified him as the ideal candidate for the role, thanks to his well-rounded game, and Serie A experience, dating back to his time at Lecce.

(Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

According to Tuttosport via JuventusNews24, the Turin-based giants have been negotiating a deal with Hjulmand’s agents, and the two parties have been able to reach an agreement in principle. The Dane now has a five-year deal awaiting him at Continassa, with a net salary of €3.2 million.

Nevertheless, the main hurdle blocking the transfer is an accord between the two clubs. After all, Sporting consider Hjulmand an elemental part of their plans, and have no desire to deprive themselves of the skipper’s services.

Sporting’s asking price for Hjulmand

It has been previously reported that the Lisbon-based giants would only sell the 26-year-old for the full value of his release clause (€80 million), but several sources are now claiming that the club is willing to negotiate a more sensible figure, and they could even drop their asking price to €40 million, a sum that Juventus would be happy to meet.

That being said, Il Corriere dello Sport (via TuttoJuve) insists that Juventus must first resolve the Douglas Luiz issue before launching an onslaught for Hjulmand.