**Manchester United Targets Morten Hjulmand Over Manuel Ugarte**
Manchester United is on the hunt for a new defensive midfielder and has several options under consideration. The club recently reached personal terms with Manuel Ugarte, but negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have hit a snag, as the French champions are demanding at least £59 million for the former Sporting CP player.
In light of this, United is exploring alternatives. Recently, Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana was mentioned, and now, according to O Jogo, Morten Hjulmand is also being considered. Hjulmand, who joined Sporting from Lecce last summer as Ugarte’s replacement, has a £67 million release clause in his contract.
Hjulmand made a significant impact at Sporting, featuring in nearly every game and contributing four goals and four assists over 48 appearances. The 25-year-old midfielder boasts an 87 percent passing accuracy, wins four duels per game, and averages two tackles and 5.1 recoveries.
Sporting might be open to selling Hjulmand for less than his release clause to balance their finances. However, the speculation around Hjulmand could be a tactic by Ugarte’s agent, Jorge Mendes, to pressure PSG. PSG is currently negotiating to sign Benfica’s Joao Neves and may need to sell Ugarte to make room for him. If Neves joins PSG, the French club might lower their demands for Ugarte, who, with a 91 percent pass completion rate, 3.9 tackles, 7.2 recoveries, and 6.4 duels won per game, could be a better fit for United than Hjulmand.
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