Mourinho Demands €50M Morten Hjulmand to Anchor Real Madrid Midfield

The paint is barely dry on the news that Real Madrid paid José Mourinho’s €3 million release clause at Benfica, yet “The Special One” is already flexing his executive muscles. With Jorge Picón recently reporting a massive 4-position summer rebuild, Mourinho has wasted zero time hand-picking his targets.

According to a prominent report from Miguel Ángel Díaz of COPE, Mourinho has formally requested that Real Madrid acquire Sporting CP captain Morten Hjulmand to serve as the structural anchor of his new-look midfield.

The Danish international could reportedly be allowed to leave Lisbon for a fee in the region of €50 million—significantly below his official €80 million release clause.

Who is Morten Hjulmand?

If you haven’t closely followed Liga Portugal, Hjulmand has been the absolute engine behind Sporting’s consecutive league titles.

Mourinho knows Hjulmand intimately from his tactical battles in the heated Lisbon derbies. The Portuguese manager views the Dane as a fiercely disciplined, traditional No. 6 who can orchestrate play from deep while shielding his requested new center-back pairing.

Breaking Valdebebas Tradition

Hjulmand turning 27 this June makes this request highly unusual. Real Madrid’s strict transfer strategy over the last five seasons has focused almost exclusively on elite U-23 talent (Bellingham, Camavinga, Tchouaméni).

However, given the current state of affairs, the board appears willing to bend the rules for Mourinho:

• The Midfield Void: With Dani Ceballos on the transfer list and Eduardo Camavinga strongly pushing for a £50 million move to the Premier League following his World Cup snub, a positional vacancy is rapidly opening.
• The Rodri Alternative: While Manchester City’s Rodri Hernández remains the dream target on the club’s radar, securing the Ballon d’Or contender is logistically complex. Hjulmand represents an immediate, attainable, elite alternative.

RMxtra Verdict: The Alpha Getting What He Wants

Florentino Pérez gave Mourinho unprecedented transfer veto power to clean up the locker room’s toxic ego culture. By targeting a traditional, non-flashy, hard-working captain like Hjulmand, Mourinho is sending a clear message: reputation means nothing, tactical discipline means everything.

The €50 million price tag won’t deter Madrid, especially if it’s funded by a potential Camavinga sale. This request proves that Mourinho isn’t waiting for his official announcement after May 24th to run the club. He is already building his defensive wall.