Barcelona is still in the market for midfield additions despite Frenkie de Jong’s likely summer contract extension.
The Catalan club is looking at potential targets to strengthen their options, especially if the Dutchman’s position switches due to unexpected circumstances.
One of the players on their watchlist is a highly regarded defensive midfielder who impressed while working under a leading manager in Europe last season, and who was one of the best players in his league.
The 24-year-old will not be going unrecognized in the market this summer, with interest from a number of elite clubs.
Reportedly, Barcelona have been fans for a while, but they are not without competition from the giants in Serie A and Ligue 1.
As always happens with players linked to Barcelona, Premier League interest could make things complicated.
He has a figure between €50-60 million, with one English club pushing to drive that number down.
The player is Morten Hjulmand of Sporting CP, with his fighting spirit to go with clear passing capability, making him a hot commodity in this window, according to CaughtOffside.
Manchester United were exploring bringing him back to club level to join his former manager, Rúben Amorim, but discussions are stuck on valuation.
This means that Tottenham and Arsenal remain his most viable options – Spurs are willing to pay a maximum of €80 million for a Bissouma upgrade, whilst Arsenal will look at Hjulmand if their primary target Martín Zubimendi remains put at Real Sociedad.
For Barcelona, a move appears unlikely unless they can generate significant sales for players in their squad.
Due to financial limitations, they may be limited to smaller amounts of money in the market or creative deals, as it may depend on the future of De Jong.
As the summer window approaches, it is shaping up for Hjulmand to go to which club pays Sporting what they want first, with the Premier League currently having considerable money to spend.
Want to get the latest Barcelona news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
