Amidst transfer links, with one of them being to Manchester United, Morten Hjulmand has spoken on Ruben Amorim’s influence.
Ruben Amorim’s time at Sporting CP was transformative. Instilling his favoured 3-4-3 formation, characterised by high pressing and possession-based football, he won the club’s first league title for 19 years, going on to win five pieces of silverware before making the switch to Manchester United.
A number of former Sporting players have understandably been linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer owing to their familiarity with Amorim and his tactics.
Defensive midfielder, and captain, Morten Hjulmand is the latest name linked with a potential switch to Manchester this summer.
With a number of departures in the midfield department imminent this summer, with the likes of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro expected to leave, as well as Kobbie Mainoo’s future remaining in doubt, United need to bolster the midfield, and this signing could be perfect.
Hjulmand’s previous comments on Amorim
Signed by Amorim in 2023 for £17 million, Hjulmand is on the radar of a number of clubs, as Sporting are open to selling the player for the right price. Among the clubs are Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United.
The Reds are monitoring the midfielder, but their interest is reportedly not as strong as other clubs. Valued between £40-50 million, it’s yet to be seen where the Denmark International will end up by the end of the summer transfer window.
If United do step up their interest in the 25-year-old, Hjulmand’s great relationship with Amorim could play a major role.
Speaking on when Amorim switched Lisbon for Manchester, he said: “Ruben was one of the reasons why I came to Sporting. When you are coached by him, you get a clear idea of the way he sees football and how he sees us being part of the team.
“It’s a very important image for the player, to know what his role is, what he can contribute to the team.
“The way he sees the players, how he manages the team on and off the field… It’s something I’ve never seen in my career.”
Would Hjulmand be a good fit?
There is no questioning that United are in desperate need of midfield reinforcements, and a reliable defensive midfielder would help immensely.
Hjulmand is a defensively intelligent midfielder who has a great reading of the game. He effectively replaced Manuel Ugarte’s output when he left for PSG.
Read More: “We talked…” Rúben Amorim offers Manchester United fans update on summer transfer window talks
Hjulmand would be an ideal signing for United, as he would have much needed tactical awareness and would slot into one of the two deeper midfield slots with ease.
If United could beat clubs to Hjulmand’s signature for the touted £40-50 million fee, it would be a great piece of business for the club to get someone with such tactical awareness, and just coming into the peak of his powers at 25-years-old.
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