Hugo Viana is key to land Sporting’s undisputed starter | OneFootball

Manchester City’s interest in Morten Hjulmand has intensified in recent weeks, with the English club taking concrete steps to try to secure the Sporting midfielder in the next summer transfer window. According to what has been learned, the Citizens have already made informal contact with Sporting’s hierarchy in an attempt to get ahead of the competition, which includes clubs such as Juventus and Manchester United.

One of Manchester City’s main assets in this deal is Hugo Viana. The current official at the English club knows the player well, as he was the one who signed him from Lecce in 2023/24 for €19.5 million. The close relationship between the two clubs and his knowledge of the Dane’s profile put the English champions in a privileged position to move forward.

Although there are still no formal negotiations, City are already aware of Sporting’s demands. Hjulmand is protected by an €80 million release clause, but Sporting’s board is willing to negotiate for figures between €40 million and €50 million. This openness is linked to the player’s current situation and the sense that his cycle at Alvalade may be coming to an end.

Internally, Sporting view the possible departure as natural and are already preparing for the succession. The scouting department has been working for some time on identifying a replacement with similar characteristics: physical ability, competitive maturity and room for future appreciation. Part of the expected financial windfall will be reinvested in that signing.

This season, wearing the Sporting shirt, Morten Hjulmand – valued at €45 million – has taken part in 39 matches: 24 in the Liga Portugal Betclic, nine in the Champions League, four in the Portuguese Cup, one in the League Cup and another in the Super Cup.

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