Morten Hjulmand has become Atletico Madrid’s second signing of the transfer window after completing his move from Primeira Liga side Sporting CP on Saturday.
Hjulmand follows Bayer Leverkusen’s Alex Grimaldo through the doors at the Metropolitano, signing a five-year deal for a reported €40m fee, with a further €5m due in add-ons.
The Denmark international made 141 appearances for Sporting after joining them from Serie A club Lecce in 2023, scoring 10 goals as well as providing 12 assists.
He captained Sporting to back-to-back Primeira Liga titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25, while also helping the club win their 18th Taca de Portugal two seasons ago.
It was also reported that the 27-year-old was of interest to Arsenal and Chelsea, but he has instead chosen to join Atletico, who finished fourth in LaLiga last campaign.
“It’s a very big club. I’ve been watching it from a distance since I was a child, always winning trophies in Spain and Europe,” Hjulmand said.
“It is a very respected club in Europe and deserves to be. It is an honour to be part of it. It means a lot to me, because being part of Atleti is a dream come true.”
¡Bienvenido, Hjulmand!
Acuerdo con el Sporting CP para el traspaso del centrocampista internacional danés, quien firma por nuestro club hasta 2031.
https://t.co/Z84XsrVHWf pic.twitter.com/jWc6jysVtP
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) July 11, 2026
Hjulmand ranked second for successful passes (1,533), duels won (142) and tackles won (38) for Sporting in the Primeira Liga last term, as they finished second in the table.
And he joins an Atletico side that finished 23 points behind champions Barcelona, but did reach the semi-finals of the Champions League before losing to beaten finalists Arsenal.
“I’m very excited and also nervous, as it always happens when you arrive in a new place, but I think I’ll adapt easily, from what I’ve heard about the players,” Hjulmand added.
“I am looking forward to meeting you and learning the language as quickly as possible. I can’t wait to start training on Monday.”
Atletico begin their LaLiga campaign on August 16 at home to Malaga, before another home clash against Villarreal a week later.
