Lecce director Pantaleo Corvino confirms that the Serie A outfit have rejected Southampton’s £9 million bid for Morten Hjulmand with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that the midfielder is valued at £18 million.
Given that they both have Danish passports, and are both at their most effective in a deep-lying central midfield role, comparisons between Hjulmand and former Saints captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are almost inevitable.
And a quick glance at the statistics, meanwhile, shows that Hjulmand and Hojbjerg do indeed have more in common than their Scandinavian heritage.
Hjulmand, this season, averages 2.6 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game (WhoScored). Numbers that are actually superior to those Hojbjerg posted in his final few seasons on the South Coast; joining Tottenham Hotspur in a £15 million deal during the summer of 2020.
Hjulmand is aggressive, energetic and just 23 years of age. In short, he possesses so many of the attributes both Nathan Jones and Southampton as a whole are looking for.
Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Leeds like Lecce’s Morten Hjulmand
According to Corvino, Lecce’s sporting director, suggestions that Southampton have offered £9 million for the 6ft 1ins enforcer are more than just rumours.
The Serie A outfit value Hjulmand closer to £20 million. Southampton, then, will need to double their initial bid if they are serious about adding the former Admira Wacker youngster to Mislav Orsic and Carlos Alcaraz.
“Our best players will not be sold,” Corvino insists (Pianeta Lecce). “I do not deny the offers, I confirm them. It’s not rumours, it’s all true.
“Why can we reject figures far in excess of 10 million euros? We take risks. Going shopping with a full wallet is easy.”
According to Italian reporter Rudy Galetti, Nottingham Forest are also keeping tabs on Hjulmand. Ditto a Leeds United side who recently lost long-serving Mateusz Klich. The tough-tackling ball-winner has just 18 months remaining on his contract. Lecce are, however, likely to trigger the a one-year extension clause in Hjulmand’s contract
“He’s a really, really professional player,” fellow Dane Mikkel Damsgaard, now at Brentford, tells TV2 of Hjulmand. “He always works insanely hard, and I know he has taken some really big steps at Lecce.
“He has done absolutely fantastic. I definitely believe that he could well become a long-term national team player.”
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