Captain Hjulmand Nears Lecce Exit as Sporting Table Offer

Originally posted on The Cult of Calcio | By Akhil Fisher | Last updated 7/31/23

Lecce playmaker Morten Hjulmand is one step away from signing for Portuguese giants Sporting CP. The Danish midfielder, who has been on the radar of several top Serie A outfits including Roma, Atalanta, and Juventus, has decided to continue his development further away in Portugal.

Sporting have reportedly tabled €15M including bonuses and add-ons for the Lecce captain, as per various sources, but as transfer market expert Nicolo Schira reveals, the value rises as high as €18M. However, Lecce have maintained that they would prefer nothing less than €20M for Hjulmand.

Morten #Hjulmand is getting closer to #SportingCP: offered €18M to #Lecce and a contract until 2028 to the danish midfielder. #transfers

— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) July 31, 2023

Nonetheless, a five-year contract is in the works to be struck as soon as possible, despite the burgeoning interest from fellow Italian clubs such as Lazio and Fiorentina.

#Calciomercato | #SportingCP forte su #Hjulmand del #Lecce: contatti in corso e accordo vicino tra i club. Poi servirà trovare l’accordo con il giocatore per l’ingaggio @SkySport

— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) July 30, 2023

English clubs Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Leicester City have already expressed interest in Hjulmand, with the former even submitting a failed offer of €14M in the winter transfer window. Milan are also said to be interested in his services.

Sporting CP está próximo de um acordo com o Lecce para a contratação de Morten Hjulmand por 12 milhões de euros + 3 milhões em variáveis, avança o jornal ‘Record’. pic.twitter.com/xL9fSx7g9z

— Diário de Transferências (@DTransferencias) July 31, 2023

With just one year of the contract remaining, Lecce are keen to make the most of it by cashing Hjulmand in instead of seeing him leave for free.

Hjulmand played a significant role in Lecce’s rise from the second tier in the 2021/22 season, as they won the league and gained the promotion before narrowly helping Marco Baroni’s side escape relegation last campaign.

This article first appeared on The Cult of Calcio and was syndicated with permission.

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