Manchester United are rumored to be signing one midfielder after another, and it is becoming increasingly unclear what kind of player Ruben Amorim actually wants to sign.
Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand is a player Man United have reportedly been tracking for some time, and his name has once again been thrown into the mix by Portuguese media records (via Sport Witness).
Manchester United target Morten Ulmand: What you need to know 👇
Having made over 100 appearances for Sporting, current captain Ruben Amorim brought Yurmand from Lecce to Sporting in 2023 for €19.5 million.He has a transfer market value of €50 million and the Dane has a release clause of €80 million.
According to the newspaper, Man United and Man City are both interested in signing Yurmand, with a “January transfer battle” on the horizon.
Unsurprisingly, his form has “attracted the attention” of the Manchester giants, who are “following him closely” ahead of the winter season.
Both clubs have links to Sporting through United manager Amorim and City’s head of football Hugo Viana, meaning both clubs know the 26-year-old very well, making transfer rumors very easy to fabricate.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas said there was interest in the summer and that Hulmando had turned down an offer to “treble his salary”, but the report claims January could give him a “headache” as City and United have “committed” to sign the midfielder.
Hulmando will reportedly receive a loyalty bonus if he stays at Sporting until the end of the season, and the Portuguese club are adamant they will not negotiate a deal for less than an €80m (about £69.8m) release fee.
Manchester United midfielder candidates increase to eight 👇
On Friday, we featured an article from Fichages linking Athletic Club’s Oyhan Sunset, as well as an article from talkSport linking six other midfielders with a move to Old Trafford.
Surprisingly, he insisted that Manchester United would be open to signing two midfielders in 2026, but did not mention Hjormand by name, but Brighton’s Carlos Bareva, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson, Chelsea’s Andrei Santos, Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller were all highly rated.
Long-time target Hjormand becomes the eighth player to be added to Amorim’s list of midfield options.
The plethora of midfield targets proves Manchester United are serious about strengthening that area, but their quality and variety is confusing.
What midfield profile does Ruben Amorim want to sign? 🤔
The fact that Manchester United are reportedly looking to sign two midfielders is worth noting, but the various profiles linked to the Red Devils suggest they either don’t know what they want, or that the press is just speculating. Or both. Certainly both.
Bruno Fernandes has the ability to drop deep and dictate the tempo, but he is wasted in that area. Amorim is the team’s most reliable goalscorer and creator, so United need him further up the pitch.
What he lacks is defensive ability. He’s not quite the elite Casemiro that Amorim hoped he would be, nor is he the type of Patrick Vieira who flies up and down the pitch, winning tackles and making interceptions.
Fernandes is the undisputed starter in Amorim’s top two midfield, and it’s clear the Portuguese manager needs more hard-working players alongside him. Literally, if Casemiro were 5 years younger…
There will be no hidden gems to be discovered like at United, where Moises Caicedo was largely in charge. Unknown players like Baleva and Santos, or obscure Premier League and Championship players like Anderson and Wharton, are currently being paid big sums in a completely different stratosphere to what clubs are currently paying.
Stiller and Santos are similar in that they can play as a number 6, 8 or 10, but it’s not their best role that United need to make their defense more consistent and get the best out of Fernandes.
Gallagher is similar, but we all know what you get from him, it’s energy. This guy has an unparalleled engine and is a manager’s dream. But is he the one with the ability to dictate the tempo and provide the defensive output needed for Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system? Probably not.
Valeva, Wharton and Anderson all have experience in the Premier League and would be suitable players for Manchester United. Brighton midfielder Baleva is the perfect signing for me, Clive.
The same goes for Yurmand, but he lacks Premier League experience. He may be the most attractive signing of all eight players, but there is no way United will pay him £70m.
And the sunset is hardly worth mentioning. He’s an attacking midfielder – and the sources are, well, crap.
We all know that Baleva will be the player to sign for United at the end of the season. However, he will cost around £100m. And knowing Man United, they won’t hesitate to pay for it.
Read more: Carlos Baleva deletes social media post fueling transfer speculation ahead of Man United vs Brighton game
