Manchester United wants to add Carlos Baleba from Brighton, but if he proves that too expensive Ruben Amorim Former Club Sporting Lisbon will attack for Captain Morten Hjulmand
Manchester United will focus their attention on the sporty Lisbon star Morten Hjulmand if they cannot close a deal for Carlos Baleba from Brighton – who remains their top goal.
Ruben Amorim wants to strengthen his midfield after having spent £ 200 million on his front line, but must consider his options with the seagulls playing hardball about their roommen – midfielder – which led to United's interest in Hjulmand.
The DANE would be available for £ 50 million, which is remarkably less than its release clause of £ 68 million. The Portuguese side would be willing to accept a lower fee if the necessary add-ons were met, the sun reports. The 26-year-old is a huge hit since the signing of Lecce for only £ 15 million in 2023.
It was Amorim who bought Hjulmand from the Portuguese capital and he is known to be a fan of his leadership qualities. The midfielder is also fully embedded in how to play in the 3-4-3 system that the United Manager has implemented.
Baleba remains the first choice goal in Manchester, but Brighton wants more than £ 100 million before they say goodbye to their player, making Hjulmand a much cheaper alternative at a time when cash is not freely available for the Premier League side.
Hjulmand played 65 times during his spell together with Amorim at Sporting – winning two Primeira Liga titles and a Taca de Portugal. De Dane scored his first goal of the season when he helped Sporting to win a 2-0 League opening on Casa Pia on Friday.
The money that United would save to sign Hjulmand in contrast to Baleba, may also leave leftover money, which would be used to pursue a new keeper. Gianluigi Donnarumma is on the market, but the Red Devils have to act quickly with Circling in Manchester City.
Amorim still has to be convinced by Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro in the preseason, while Kobbie Mainoo still has to make an impression on manager with the Portuguese boss who publicly allows his game short.
Brighton is ready to be a difficult one, but to crack with their Chief Executive Paul Barber, it makes it clear that they do not want to separate with their top names, especially because they have already seen Joao Pedro to Chelsea.
He said: “We will always try to make sure that we sell our best players at the right time, not just for the player, but for us. If we finally do that with a player, it is with the view to leave Fabian with a competitive team, whatever happens. We don't want to sell our best players.”