Liverpool could have signed ‘monster’ holding midfielder for £15m last year – now worth £67m
There remains some degree of debate over whether or not Liverpool will invest in a new holding six in the summer window.
Sources close to the club have indicated that a genuinely world-class defensive midfielder hasn’t been forthcoming on the market.
That’s not to say perfectly reasonable – if not world-class – options don’t exist. Sporting Lisbon’s well-regarded Morten Hjulmand (24) could present an avenue in that regard, with Ben Jacobs reporting on X (formerly Twitter) that interested clubs would need to trigger the Dane’s £67.5m release clause.
Understand Sporting are not planning to engage with Morten Hjulmand offers this summer. Suitors would need to trigger the €80m release clause.#MUFC do hold historical interest, but no intention to pay the clause.
pic.twitter.com/9dOGjmTEzC
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) June 16, 2024
The links to the Lecce ‘monster’ (as described on X by journalist Zach Lowy) have admittedly been somewhat slim.
He's an absolute monster when it comes to recovering possession, but he's far less reckless than Ugarte was. Constantly the first to react and has the physicality, positional awareness and vision to play as a lone holding midfielder. At first glance, he appears far older than 24.
— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) September 25, 2023
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HITC reported a month back that Arne Slot’s outfit had sent scouts to watch the midfielder (along with Goncalo Inacio and Viktor Gyokeres) in Portugal. Since this point, there has been little noise suggesting that Hjulmand is a serious Liverpool transfer target.
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Liverpool could have snapped Hjulmand up on the cheap in 2023
We’ve no doubt interested parties will be ruing the fact they could have signed the former Serie A star for £15.1m. A figure that has now quadrupled thanks to Sporting’s release clause.
If Richard Hughes and the data department believed he’d have something to offer this Liverpool squad, of course, it’s a drop in the ocean compared to his long-term value and contributions.
How does Hjulmand stack up statistically?
The ex-Admira star is far from awful in possession. FBref have the Dane up in the 78th percentile for pass completion, which is a little disappointing for a holding midfielder.
Wataru Endo, by comparison, in a much quicker league against a higher standard of attacker has managed to rank in the 84th percentile for pass completion.
That said, Hjulmand’s numbers are affected by his general forward-mindedness. Sporting boss Ruben Amorim certainly indicated as much in his appraisal of the footballer in August last year (via sporting.pt): “He’s everything we thought he would be, but he’s going to improve a lot physically and he has to get to know his teammates well. The way he always plays the ball forward helps the team and that is very important.”
Having once enjoyed Fabinho contributing to build-up during his Liverpool heyday, we wouldn’t be opposed to seeing another holding midfielder capable of contributing beyond our third of the pitch.
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