Morten Hjulmand has the ‘characteristics’ to thrive in the Premier League as Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Southampton chase the Serie A enforcer, former Lecce captain Romeo Papini tells La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno.
Often, it takes time for a new signing to adapt to the hustle and bustle of English football.
But Hjulmand, a towering 6ft 1ins presence boasting ball-winning statistics even the magnificent Casemiro may be proud of, looks better placed than most to make a success of himself in the Premier League, with a trio of top-flight clubs courting the Denmark U21 international.
According to reporter Rudy Galetti, Leeds and Nottingham Forest are admirers. Jesse Marsch’s Leeds currently find themselves one midfielder down following Mateusz Klich’s cross-Atlantic trip to DC United. And Hjulmand would help protect an often-vulnerable backline with real physicality and seemingly never-ending energy reserves.
Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Southampton like Morten Hjulmand
“Certainly, Morten Hjulmand is the footballer who surprised me the most of all. He has really big potential,” explains Papini.
“I believe that, in the future, he can do very well even in leading competitions and on the international scene. Given his characteristics, I would see him well in English football.”
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Lecce want around £18 million for Hjulmand.
Director Pantaleo Corvino appeared to confirm reports, earlier this week, that Southampton had seen an initial bid of £9 million rejected. Corvino adds that Lecce currently have no plans to sell ‘our best players’.
A stance which earns Papini’s seal of approval.
“Teams with will approach players who are doing very well with big offers,” says the ex-Stadio Via del Mare favourite.
“The fact that Lecce intend to keep Hjulmand until the end of the season says a lot about the solidity of the club, and the project that has been set up in recent years. We must applaud the technical staff for finding such a talent at a very low price.
“I’m sure that even bigger offers will arrive in the summer.”
Hjulmand averages a highly-impressive 2.6 successful tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game in Serie A (WhoScored). Statistics similar to those of former Southampton skipper and fellow Dane Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg during his final season at St Mary’s.
“He’s a really, really professional player,” compatriot Mikkel Damsgaard, now at Brentford, tells TV2. “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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