Tottenham Hotspur are ‘leading the way’ to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Morten Hjulmand, Portuguese newspaper Record has claimed (via Sport Witness).
The North London side are believed to be among the clubs preparing a bid for the 26-year-old, who has numerous suitors after impressive two-and-a-half years in Portugal.
Getting Hjulmand, however, is not seen as an easy task for any of the interested clubs, as Sporting are in a strong negotiating position, with the midfielder under contract until June 2028.
Sporting rebuffed bids in the summer for the Denmark international and are unlikely to negotiate a fee below his reported €80m (£70m) release clause.
Nevertheless, the Portuguese champions are expecting interest in Hjulmand during the January transfer window, with Tottenham and other clubs keeping an eye on the midfielder.
Tottenham Eyeing Move for Morten Hjulmand
According to Record, Sporting have an agreement with Hjulmand for him to remain at the club until the end of the season – the 26-year-old will reportedly receive a cash bonus if that happens.
However, the Portuguese club are aware of Tottenham’s interest in the midfielder and are expecting ‘headaches’ in January in a bid to retain their captain.
Hjulmand was linked with a departure during the summer transfer window, but Sporting refused to entertain any exit talks following Viktor Gyokeres’ move to Arsenal.
According to GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Fabrizio Romano, the Portuguese club never opened the door to Hjulmand’s exit as they did not want to sell any of their key players following Gyokeres’ departure.
Hjulmand was made Sporting captain before the 2024/25 season following Sebastian Coates’ exit and has been an important part of Sporting’s squad in back-to-back league winning seasons.
The Denmark international, praised as an ‘absolute monster’, has made 110 appearances for the Portuguese side to date, scoring eight goals and providing eight assists.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Hjulmand has won 23 caps for Denmark to date, scoring his only goal in the 1-1 draw with England at Euro 2024.
Tottenham are likely to make changes to their midfield in 2026, with Yves Bissouma’s contract expiring at the end of the campaign.
The Mali international has yet to feature for the North London side this term and underwent ankle surgery this month after picking up an injury during the international break.