Brighton & Hove Albion could reportedly sign in US Lecce captain Morten Hjulmand in January, with the midfielder likely an insurance option amid interest from Liverpool and Newcastle United in Moises Caicedo.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Seagulls, as well as Brentford, are keeping tabs on the 23-year-old playmaker, who this season is enjoying quite the year with Lecce as the newly-promoted Serie A side currently sit eight points clear of the relegation zone.
An international with Denmark, Hjulmand is now on the radars for both Brighton and Thomas Frank’s Brentford side, with the west London club arguably the favourites to sign the midfielder given their links to the Scandinavian nation and their impressive track record with recruiting players from the Nordic country.
However, Brighton could soon have the advantage should Cacideo leave in January, with the Mirror reporting that Liverpool and Newcastle are keen on signing the Ecuador international, who the Seagulls value at £85m ahead of the winter transfer window.
Indeed, Caicedo’s performances in Qatar at the 2022 FIFA World Cup could spur the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle to move for the South American gem. Yet for Brighton, such a move will give the club more than enough to sign Hjulmand as a replacement.
Although the Dane is the captain of Lecce, there’s no denying that Hjulmand would be interested in moving to the Premier League and to a club like Brighton, where working under former Sassuolo manager Roberto De Zerbi could be an enticing opportunity for the 23-year-old.
Brighton must move to sign Hjulmand if Caicedo is sold
The ideal solution for Brighton in January will be to survive the month without losing Caicedo. However, with the midfielder almost certain to light up Qatar with Ecuador in the coming weeks, the Seagulls might well lose their star man in January, where Hjulmand would be a worth replacement.
Although the Serie A star is older than Caicedo, the midfielder has the quality and the mentality to make an impact for Brighton in the Premier League, with the youngster also likely to be an ideal fit under Italian coach De Zerbi in this Seagulls squad.
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