Atlético Madrid signs Danish midfielder Morten Hjulmand from Sporting CP in 40m-euro deal
The 27-year-old Danish defensive midfielder arrives from Sporting CP on a five-year contract until 2031, becoming the second summer reinforcement after Alejandro Grimaldo.
Signing details
Atletico Madrid announced the signing of Danish defensive midfielder Morten Hjulmand from Sporting CP on Saturday, 11 July 2026. The 27-year-old has signed a five-year contract, keeping him at the club until 30 June 2031. Multiple Spanish media outlets reported the transfer fee at around 40 million euros, though the club did not officially disclose the figure. Hjulmand becomes the second summer arrival after left-back Alejandro Grimaldo joined from Bayer Leverkusen the previous week.
What the club said
The club released a statement praising the player's attributes.
Atletico de Madrid and Sporting CP have reached an agreement for the transfer of Morten Hjulmand, who signs for our club until 30 June 2031. A right-footed defensive midfielder aged 27, he stands out for his physical power, ball recovery and reading of the game, which enhance his anticipation and distribution.
Career path
Born in Kastrup, Denmark, Hjulmand began in FC Copenhagen's youth system before moving to Austrian side Admira Wacker in summer 2018, where he made 74 appearances. In January 2021 he joined Italian club Lecce, helping them gain promotion to Serie A in the 2021-22 season and playing 95 matches. Sporting CP signed him in summer 2023 for nearly 20 million euros, and during three seasons in Lisbon he played 141 games, scoring 10 goals and providing 12 assists. He won two Portuguese league titles (2023-24 and 2024-25) and the Taca de Portugal (2024-25), also becoming club captain and, at 23, the youngest captain in Lecce's history and the second youngest in Serie A after Francesco Totti. Internationally, Hjulmand has earned 27 caps for Denmark, scoring once against England at Euro 2024. He debuted on 7 September 2023 in a 4-0 win over San Marino.
- Leaves FC Copenhagen youth, joins Admira Wacker
- Transfers to Lecce in Serie B
- Helps Lecce win promotion to Serie A
- Joins Sporting CP for nearly 20 million euros
- Denmark senior debut vs San Marino (4-0 win)
- Signs for Atletico Madrid until 2031 after 40m-euro transfer
Why Atletico moved
Atletico sought midfield reinforcement after a season hampered by injuries to Johnny Cardoso and Pablo Barrios, and with captain Koke now 34 years old. Hjulmand is expected to compete for the holding role, bringing physicality and ball-winning to the centre of the pitch. He already passed his medical on Saturday at the Centro de Medicina Deportiva Vithas - Invictum in Madrid and visited the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium. He will join the team's pre-season training when it starts on Monday, 13 July.
Broader squad changes
The signing is part of a wider summer rebuild. Alejandro Grimaldo arrived from Leverkusen to reinforce the left defensive flank. In the opposite direction, club legend Antoine Griezmann has departed for Orlando City, and central defender Clement Lenglet moved to Benfica, initially on loan before a permanent transfer. Atletico is also reportedly pursuing South Korean midfielder Kang In Lee from Paris Saint-Germain as a possible third addition. The club still awaits clarity on the future of Nico Gonzalez, whose loan from Juventus has ended, and on the situation of star forward Julian Alvarez, amid ongoing speculation.
