1 hour ago
2
Atlético Madrid just agreed to pay approximately €40 million to pry Morten Hjulmand away from Sporting CP, adding the 26-year-old Danish international to their midfield ahead of the 2026-27 season. The deal reportedly includes a base fee of €35 million plus performance-related add-ons.
Hjulmand, who captained Sporting CP, is expected to fly to Madrid today to finalize a five-year contract that could keep him at the club through the 2030/2031 season. Pre-season preparations are set to begin around July 13, giving the midfielder just enough time to settle in before the grind starts.
What the deal looks like
The transfer marks a significant midfield investment for Atlético, who reportedly pivoted to Hjulmand after complications with agents derailed negotiations for alternative targets.
Personal terms were agreed in advance of the club-to-club deal closing. It means Hjulmand and his camp were aligned on wages and contract length before the two clubs shook hands.
The timeline moved quickly once serious negotiations began in early July 2026. From initial talks to a confirmed agreement in a matter of days, this was a deal both sides clearly wanted to get done.
The crypto angle: Atlético’s fan token ecosystem
Atlético Madrid operates a fan token, part of the broader trend of European football clubs tokenizing fan engagement through blockchain-based platforms. Hjulmand’s transfer itself has no direct crypto component, and crypto assets were not directly relevant to his move, indicating a separation between the football transfer market and cryptocurrency realms.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
English (US) · 