Manchester United’s search for a new “athletic” midfielder has thrown up two new names, Morten Hjulmand and Adam Wharton, as the summer transfer window enters its final two weeks.
United had shown interest in Brighton & Hove Albion talent Carlos Baleba, a 21-year-old who could both improve the squad in the immediacy and the long-term.
But Brighton’s enormous price tag, not dissimilar to the fee they commanded when Moisés Caicedo joined Chelsea in 2023, saw any pursuit of the Cameroon international shelved.
A central midfielder would still boost United, though. Ruben Amorim opted to start with Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro in Sunday’s defeat to Arsenal, swapping the latter with Manuel Ugarte in the second half and leaving Kobbie Mainoo on the bench.
The Athletic writes that, should United decide to “pivot to an alternative” before the September 1 deadline, Morten Hjulmand and Adam Wharton are options to pursue.
There is said to be an “appreciation” for Hjulmand in particular, Amorim’s old Sporting CP captain. Wharton, meanwhile, “could come into the reckoning” and has already been speculatively linked with Real Madrid in recent months.
Wharton is the same age as Baleba, having enjoyed a whirlwind 18 months since leaving boyhood club Blackburn Rovers for Crystal Palace in January 2024. He was part of England’s Euro 2024 squad and helped Palace win last season’s FA Cup, after overcoming a groin injury that required surgery.
Hjulmand is slightly different, five years older and perhaps considered a late bloomer. He developed in the academy ranks at Copenhagen, before leaving his native Denmark altogether to join little known Austrian side Admira Wacker. The midfielder then headed to Italy, to Lecce, in Serie B at the time, helping the club return to the top flight. Sporting took him to Portugal in 2023.
Fellow Denmark international Patrick Dorgu was at Lecce at the same time, while Rasmus Højlund and Chido Obi are the other Danes in the current United squad.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Consider Two ‘Midfield Alternatives’ to Carlos Baleba.
