Sporting signing checked by ex-team-mate: Hjulmand talk is too much | OneFootball

Silas Andersen is still looking for a bigger role at Sporting, but the Danish midfielder left good memories at Hacken. Mikkel Rygaard, the player’s former teammate and current captain of the Swedish club, believes the 22-year-old has the qualities to reach a high level, although he acknowledges that it is still too early to put him on the same level as Morten Hjulmand, who moved to Atlético Madrid.

Speaking to Tipsbladet, he recalled the surprise in the Hacken dressing room when Andersen ended up moving to Alvalade: "I knew Silas was good and that there was a lot of interest in him, but the fact that he went from Hacken to Sporting so suddenly made us think, ‘Wow, that’s cool!’. Hacken has made some great sales lately, with players going to big clubs. It’s becoming more and more normal. I’m very happy for Silas, because he’s a good guy and he really deserves it," he said.

The experienced midfielder also explained what impressed him most: "He came here and immediately dominated the league. He has incredible stamina, runs a lot, is physically strong, and is also technically gifted and skillful. You could tell right away that he had something extraordinary compared to everyone else."

The comparison with Hjulmand came later, but Rygaard made it clear that he does not believe Andersen is already at the level reached by Sporting’s former captain: "Maybe it’s a bit exaggerated to compare him to Morten Hjulmand right now, but I definitely think he can compete with him and perhaps build a similar career to his. I feel he has the necessary qualities, and I predict a great future for Silas."

For now, Andersen has made six appearances for Sporting, for a total of 112 minutes. Rygaard’s words, however, point to a future perspective: it is not a comparison between Silas’s current performances and Hjulmand’s, but rather the belief that, with time, the youngster can come close to following a similar path.

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