Sporting could sell €80 million-rated midfielder this summer with Man City taking ‘concrete steps’

Manchester City have already opened informal talks with Sporting CP as they push to secure Denmark international Morten Hjulmand for a fee well below the €80 million release clause written into his contract, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.

City’s newly appointed sporting director Hugo Viana, the same architect who lured Hjulmand to Lisbon from Lecce for €19.5 million in 2023, is spearheading the operation and has taken what sources describe as “concrete steps” to bring the 26-year-old to the Etihad Stadium once the current campaign concludes.

Sporting, mindful of intense interest from Juventus and Manchester United, are willing to negotiate at between €40 million and €50 million, effectively halving the valuation attached to the midfielder’s buy-out clause. No formal negotiations between the clubs have begun, but City hope an early agreement will fend off rival suitors and accelerate a midfield refresh planned for the 2026/27 season.

Hjulmand has captained Sporting to back-to-back Primeira Liga titles and earned plaudits for his tactical discipline and physicality, attributes viewed inside City as ideal cover for Rodri. His arrival would likely prompt a reassessment of squad roles, with Mateo Kovacic’s future uncertain and Bernardo Silva edging towards the exit as his contract winds down.

While the player’s immediate focus remains on Sporting’s domestic and European run-in, the prospect of reuniting with Viana and working under Pep Guardiola—should the Catalan continue into next season—positions Manchester City as the favourites to secure the midfielder’s signature.