After transfer saga, Morten Hjulmand’s chat at Sporting revealed | OneFootball

The 'shock' at Alvalade occurred on February 1st, the day Sporting faced Nacional, on the eve of the winter transfer window closing. At that time, Morten Hjulmand was informed by his agent about the possible existence of an offer from Atlético de Madrid, a scenario that naturally left him distracted. Meanwhile, the message conveyed to the player by the Board was revealed.

The same information reached the Sporting structure and, after internal discussions that also involved coach Rui Borges, it was decided to remove the Danish midfielder from the squad for the match against the team from Madeira. This was despite the fact that, later, the Board confirmed, after several inquiries, that there was no formal or informal offer whatsoever.

It was up to Rui Borges to communicate the decision to the captain. Hjulmand expressed his desire to play, but the decision had already been made, considering that the transfer window would only close the following day and the situation could still change. In the conversation between the two, the coach reiterated his total confidence in the player and guaranteed that his status as captain would remain intact, highlighting the Dane’s professionalism and influence in the locker room, where he is widely respected. And so it was: in the next match, the Dane returned to the starting eleven against AVS SAD, for the Portuguese Cup, and was again a starter in the classic against Porto.

Among fans and critics, there were interpretations that the midfielder was going through a rough patch. However, both Rui Borges and the Sporting structure maintain that any temporary dip in performance was due to accumulated fatigue. Hjulmand is, between club and the Danish national team, the Sporting player with the most minutes this season, already totaling 3,356. Francisco Trincão has logged more playing time for Sporting, but has a lighter international workload.

With clear weeks on the calendar, as happened before the match against Moreirense and now before the home game against Estoril, the expectation is for improved performances. In Moreira de Cónegos, the captain already showed positive signs, both in terms of competition and leadership on the field.

It is worth remembering that the departure of the 'number 42' is planned for the summer, but until then he will continue to play a central role in Sporting’s attempt to win a third consecutive championship, maintaining a commitment that has earned him recognition both internally and externally.

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