Silas Andersen joins Sporting with Hjulmand DNA, set to cause a stir | OneFootball

Silas Andersen arrived at Alvalade with the usual Scandinavian calm, but those who know him assure that the composed image hides a fiercely competitive footballer. The Danish midfielder, just 22 years old, was already one of the leadership voices in the Häcken dressing room and arrives at Sporting with a profile reminiscent of Morten Hjulmand. Vítor Gazimba, Häcken’s assistant coach, recalled the Swedish Cup final. When he was only 20 years old, Silas took the decisive penalty.

"I chose him to take it and asked him: 'Are you ready to win us the Cup?' and he replied: 'Yes, I’m more than ready'", the Portuguese coach revealed in an exclusive interview with Record newspaper, showing his strong character.

The Portuguese coach also acted as a kind of adviser during the transfer process and guarantees that Sporting always held a special place in the player’s ambitions. "Sporting’s interest goes back a long way. We talked about that possibility. He always showed enthusiasm about Sporting. He would ask me: 'What do you think, Vítor?' He wanted to know everything, especially regarding how he could fit into the team", he said.

On the pitch, the Dane stands out for his intensity and strong personality. "He has that Danish trait. He’s going to pick up a few yellow cards. He has a very sharp competitive edge. He is confident enough to take charge in an opponent’s stadium against him. He likes to take responsibility in the game. He has a leader’s personality. When they don’t want the ball, he will want it", Gazimba explained. The numbers confirm that profile: in 57 games for Häcken, he received 24 yellow cards.

Despite the similarities with Hjulmand, Vítor Gazimba sees differences in their playing style. "Hjulmand is more positional. He even saw himself as a box-to-box player, because he has tremendous stamina. He gets into the box very well, arrives with force to be able to score. He is a tall, powerful player, very good in aerial duels and attacking set pieces. He gets into the box easily," he analysed.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.