Danish footballer Morten Hjulmand became the second most expensive signing in Sporting’s history this Sunday, surpassed only by two million euros (ME) by another Nordic striker, Viktor Gyökeres, who also signed this season.
The 24-year-old midfielder was ‘acquired’ from the Italians from Lecce for a fixed 18 ME (plus three million euros for goals), just a month after the ‘lions’ announced the arrival of the Swedish striker, from Coventry, for 20 ME, which quickly topped the list of the most expensive reinforcements of the Lisbon emblem.
Hjulmand signed with the Lions until 2028, with an €80 million release clause, the club revealed. Will play with number 42.
“I chose Sporting CP because it is a big step in my career. I want to keep developing myself as a person and as a player and it is obviously a club known for its work with young players.. It is a very big club in Europe, with a lot of history and trophies and used to playing in European competitions.” Hjulmand told Sporting’s media during the presentation and also noted that first impressions were “very good”.
Hjulmand said he had “very good talks” on Saturday with new coach, Rúben Amorin, who feels Sporting are like “family” and enjoyed watching the Lions win against FC Vizela (3-2) at Estádio José the Alvalade, on Saturday. “It was spectacular to see the stadium and the fans”, he claimed. “I was very happy with the win and I loved the atmosphere. It was very good, especially after the last goal. The stadium was red hot,” he added.
With the arrival of Gyökeres and Hjulmand in the same season, striker Paulinho was ‘relegated’ to last place on the podium of the most expensive signingscompared to the fixed 16 ME that Sporting paid to Sporting de Braga in January 2021 for 70% of the pass.
On this list follows Pedro Gonçalves, an attacking midfielder who initially cost 6.5 ME for a 50% pass in 2020/21 and for whom the ‘lions’ recently paid Famalicão an extra seven million, for an additional 40%, bringing the company to a total of 13.5 ME.
Manuel Ugarte, transferred to Paris Saint-Germain last month, for 60 ME, is fifth in the ‘Leonine’ ranking, in a transaction identical to that of Pedro Gonçalves. Sporting paid 6.5 ME to Famalicão for 50% of the pass in 2021/22 and has since acquired more plots from Minho in stages, the last of which was at the end of June last year, for two million, in a total transfer of 12.5 ME for 80% of the economic rights.
This is followed by Dutch striker Bas Dost, acquired from the Germans from Wolfsburg for 11.85 ME, in 2016/17, Portuguese winger Rúben Vinagre, signed from Wolverhampton in 2021/22 for 10 ME, for 50% of the pass , and Portuguese international midfielder Bruno Fernandes, for whom the ‘greens and whites’ paid Sampdoria 9.7 ME in 2017/18.
The top 10 is closed with the Argentinian Marcos Acuña (9.59 ME), from Racing in 2017/18, and the Dutch defender Jeremiah St. Juste (9.5 ME), who came over from Mainz last season.
Source: DN
