Around August 2023, Sporting’s SAD reached an agreement with Lecce to transfer the Danish Morten Hjulmand from Italy to Portugal: with the Serie A emblem, they agreed to pay a fixed 18 million euros, to which more could be added 3, these by goals.
However, contrary to what businesses are usually carried out by the current administration, the established objectives could be ‘fixed’ right at the time of departure – in 2023/24 –, a scenario that… is close to becoming reality. For the 24-year-old midfielder’s first 40 games, with use for more than 45 minutes (he already has 41), the Nordic would automatically earn 1.5 million for the Giallorossi, who are now waiting for the championship accounts to be closed. As the desire of the green and white nation, the title of champion, is confirmed, direct qualification for the next edition of the Champions League is also guaranteed, two conditions for a new €1.5 million.
Still without remaining in the first division guaranteed, but calmly in 13th place in the classification, 7 points above the water line, the Transalpines are close to guaranteeing an important sum for a new, much calmer sporting year; In the last closed season, they stood firm for this very reason, for the exit of one of the most valuable assets at a price that would match their margin of progression in the Lions. All said and done, because evaluating his season, Morten took the lead and is one of the great pillars of Amorim’s strategy, a fact that is proven by the use of the Danish international, the third with the most minutes in the squad (3,204), behind Gyökeres (3,253) and Ignatius (3,204).
Door closed for €80 M
Despite the huge investment in Hjulmand, the lions know that they have a piece of present and future there: barring any… proposal that exceeds his termination clause, of 80 million euros, the number 42 shirt will continue with the lion on his chest in 2024 /25, with the aforementioned shielding being precisely the condition for a possible exit. During the season, he was associated with some clubs, such as Manchester United, from England, but the football leadership reserved a special place for him at Sporting, namely with his inclusion in the group of captains in the next sporting year, given the leadership stance he quickly assumed.
If records are to be broken – it is said –, contractual objectives are to be met, and there is no greater expression of a convincing season than achieving the highest goals. This is the case of Morten, who is now just waiting for his first titles at Sporting: the League and the Cup.
Reserved place towards Germany
Sporting’s next pre-season should not start with Hjulmand, but in this case… for a good reason. It seems that the midfielder should be one of those called up by another Hjulmand – Kasper, the Denmark coach – for the European Championship that will begin in Germany on June 14th. After a busy season at club level, with still 5 more games to play, Morten will add at least another 3, from Group C of the national team competition, where he will, in this order, meet Slovenia, England and Serbia . Remember that the final of the continental competition will be on July 14th, when normally the lion is already training ‘in earnest’.
Numbers
3 million euros was the total value in objectives agreed between Sporting and Lecce when in August they agreed on Hjulmand’s move to Portugal.
40 Games lasting more than 45 minutes were worth the Giallorossi the first 1.5 million euros. At this point, the midfielder has 41 in this condition.
2028 This is when his connection with SAD ends, which, in order to protect himself, placed an 80 million clause on him.
