Man Utd face competition for £70.5m deal 'more difficult than climbing Everest'

Manchester United could beryllium negatively impacted by Luciano Spalletti's caller assignment arsenic Juventus manager, according to a report.

The Bianconeri confirmed the accomplishment of ex-Italy and Napoli caput manager Spalletti connected Thursday evening, arsenic the 66-year-old replaced the sacked Igor Tudor astatine the Allianz Stadium.

Spalletti takes implicit with Juventus languishing successful seventh spot successful the Serie A table - 3 points disconnected the apical 4 - and his declaration volition automatically beryllium extended until 2027 if helium tin pb the Old Lady to adjacent season's Champions League.

The Italian has inherited a squad brimming with attacking talents, namely Kenan Yildiz, Jonathan David and Dusan Vlahovic, successful summation to competent midfield options specified arsenic Teun Koopmeiners, Manuel Locatelli, Weston McKennie and Khephren Thuram.

However, Tuttosport claims that Spalletti volition 'demand' the signing of a caller engine-room enforcer, and 1 subordinate whom the Juventus brag peculiarly fancies is Sporting Lisbon's Morten Hjulmand.

Man Utd transportation news: Juventus brag Luciano Spalletti 'likes' Morten Hjulmand

The Denmark planetary excelled nether Man Utd brag Ruben Amorim during the latter's clip successful complaint of Sporting, and helium remains an integral fig astatine the Lisbon outfit, whom helium present serves arsenic skipper of.

Hjulmand has scored 1 extremity successful 14 appearances for Sporting this season, playing each infinitesimal of the 2025-26 Primeira Liga run truthful far, and his full for the nine reads 8 strikes and six assists successful 110 games since signing from Lecce successful 2023.

The 26-year-old memorably scored a stunning extremity against England astatine Euro 2024 too, and helium has been persistently linked with a determination to Old Trafford successful bid to reunite with Amorim, who is expected to prioritise a midfield signing successful 2026.

However, Juventus are present precise overmuch successful the contention for Hjulmand's signature, though the study adds that a January woody for the Scandinavian midfielder would beryllium 'more hard than climbing Everest' for the Italian giants, who are successful nary presumption to wage his €80m (£70.5m) merchandise clause.

Instead, the Old Lady would beryllium aiming to bash a woody person to €45m (£39.7m), but Sporting person nary request to judge a cut-price fig fixed that Hjulmand's declaration runs until the summertime of 2028.

Two of Manchester United's Premier League rivals are besides understood to beryllium keen connected the Denmark international, whom Sporting paid conscionable €19.5m (£17.2m) for 2 years ago.

Why Man United should not interest astir Juventus menace successful Morten Hjulmand race

While Spalletti is understood to beryllium a immense instrumentality of Hjulmand, Amorim already has a idiosyncratic transportation with the midfielder, who besides played alongside existent Red Devils antheral Manuel Ugarte for 1 play astatine Sporting successful 2023-24.

Hjulmand's merchandise clause besides makes it incredibly hard to ideate a cash-strapped Juventus - who volition not beryllium capable to vie with Man United financially - winning the contention for his services, adjacent if the Red Devils' ain economical authorities is acold from ideal.

However, the Denmark planetary is acquainted with Amorim's strategy and should go an contiguous starter if Casemiro leaves adjacent summer, truthful Juventus would person to bash immoderate superior seducing if they are to leapfrog Man United successful the queue.

Juventus volition get a close-up look astatine Hjulmand adjacent week, though, arsenic Spalletti's broadside look Sporting successful the Champions League astatine location connected Tuesday evening.

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