Madrid, July 11 (IANS) Spanish football club Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Denmark defensive midfielder Morten Hjulmand from Sporting CP, with the 27-year-old putting pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at the Spanish club until June 30, 2031.

The two clubs reached an agreement over the transfer after Hjulmand successfully completed his medical in Madrid before signing his long-term contract.

A right-footed defensive midfielder, Hjulmand is known for his physical strength, ball-winning ability, reading of the game, and distribution. He also brings significant leadership experience, having worn the captain’s armband at both Lecce and Sporting CP.

Born in Kastrup, Denmark, Hjulmand came through the youth ranks at FC Copenhagen before beginning his professional career with Austrian Bundesliga side Admira Wacker in 2018. He made 74 appearances during his two-and-a-half-year spell at the club before moving to Italian side Lecce in January 2021.

Hjulmand played a key role in Lecce’s promotion to Serie A during the 2021-22 season and went on to make 95 appearances for the club. At the age of 23, he became the youngest captain in Lecce’s history and the second-youngest captain in Serie A history after Francesco Totti.

The midfielder joined Sporting CP in the summer of 2023 and established himself as a key figure at the Portuguese club, making 141 appearances. During his time in Lisbon, he helped Sporting win back-to-back Portuguese league titles in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, as well as the Taça de Portugal in 2024-25.

Hjulmand has also represented Denmark at the youth level and made his senior international debut in a 4-0 victory over San Marino on September 7, 2023. He has since earned 27 senior appearances for his country.

The Danish international underwent his medical at the Vithas-Invictum High-Performance Sports Medicine Centre at Arturo Soria University Hospital before heading to Atlético’s offices at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano to complete the formalities of his transfer.

–IANS

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