Manchester United could be negatively impacted by Luciano Spalletti’s recent appointment as Juventus manager, according to a report.
The Bianconeri confirmed the arrival of ex-Italy and Napoli head coach Spalletti on Thursday evening, as the 66-year-old replaced the sacked Igor Tudor at the Allianz Stadium.
Spalletti takes over with Juventus languishing in seventh place in the Serie A table – three points off the top four – and his contract will automatically be extended until 2027 if he can lead the Old Lady to next season’s Champions League.
The Italian has inherited a squad brimming with attacking talents, namely Kenan Yildiz, Jonathan David and Dusan Vlahovic, in addition to competent midfield options such as Teun Koopmeiners, Manuel Locatelli, Weston McKennie and Khephren Thuram.
However, Tuttosport claims that Spalletti will ‘demand’ the signing of a new engine-room enforcer, and one player whom the Juventus boss particularly fancies is Sporting Lisbon’s Morten Hjulmand.
Man Utd transfer news: Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti ‘likes’ Morten Hjulmand
The Denmark international excelled under Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim during the latter’s time in charge of Sporting, and he remains an integral figure at the Lisbon outfit, whom he now serves as captain of.
Hjulmand has scored one goal in 14 appearances for Sporting this season, playing every minute of the 2025-26 Primeira Liga campaign so far, and his total for the club reads eight strikes and six assists in 110 games since signing from Lecce in 2023.
The 26-year-old memorably scored a stunning goal against England at Euro 2024 too, and he has been persistently linked with a move to Old Trafford in order to reunite with Amorim, who is expected to prioritise a midfield signing in 2026.
However, Juventus are now very much in the race for Hjulmand’s signature, although the report adds that a January deal for the Scandinavian midfielder would be ‘more difficult than climbing Everest’ for the Italian giants, who are in no position to pay his €80m (£70.5m) release clause.
Instead, the Old Lady would be aiming to do a deal closer to €45m (£39.7m), but Sporting have no need to accept a cut-price figure given that Hjulmand’s contract runs until the summer of 2028.
Two of Manchester United’s Premier League rivals are also understood to be keen on the Denmark international, whom Sporting paid just €19.5m (£17.2m) for two years ago.
Why Man United should not worry about Juventus threat in Morten Hjulmand race
Sporting Lisbon’s Morten Hjulmand pictured on November 4, 2024
While Spalletti is understood to be a huge fan of Hjulmand, Amorim already has a personal connection with the midfielder, who also played alongside current Red Devils man Manuel Ugarte for one season at Sporting in 2023-24.
Hjulmand’s release clause also makes it incredibly difficult to imagine a cash-strapped Juventus – who will not be able to compete with Man United financially – winning the race for his services, even if the Red Devils’ own economic state is far from ideal.
However, the Denmark international is familiar with Amorim’s system and should become an immediate starter if Casemiro leaves next summer, so Juventus would have to do some serious seducing if they are to leapfrog Man United in the queue.
Juventus will get a close-up look at Hjulmand next week, though, as Spalletti’s side face Sporting in the Champions League at home on Tuesday evening.
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