Atletico Madrid are closing in on the transfer of Sporting Lisbon defensive midfielder Morten Hjulmand in a €40m deal. The Denmark international has impressed during his time in Portugal, and it's no surprise that he's now been snapped up by a big club in a more competitive league.
The deal between Sporting and Atléti has been agreed, with all terms finalized and paperwork exchange set to begin today. Hjulmand will join the Spanish club until June 2031 and is expected to fly to Madrid later today.
This development comes as a blow to Arsenal, who were among the clubs to express interest in Hjulmand. The Gunners have been searching for a new midfielder and may now find themselves at a disadvantage having missed out on the Danish international.
Meanwhile, Arsenal's focus remains on securing the signing of Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes. Guimaraes is Premier League-proven and may be worth the potentially higher fee, given the uncertainty of how a player from the Portuguese league will adapt to the English top flight.
However, with a reported fee of £90m, the cost of signing Guimaraes could be a significant one. In contrast, Hjulmand's €40m transfer fee seems like a bargain, and it's possible that Arsenal may be regretting their decision not to pursue the Danish midfielder.
The potential cost of signing Guimaraes is likely to be in the range of £65-90m, with any fee above £65m being considered a huge sum for a player turning 29 later this year. In comparison, Hjulmand is younger and significantly cheaper, making his transfer a potentially shrewd piece of business for a rival club.
