Atlético Madrid officially announced on Saturday that it has signed Danish international midfielder Morten Hjulmand from Sporting Lisbon, to strengthen the defensive midfield position, with a contract extending for five seasons until 2031, in a deal worth €40 million.

According to Spanish newspaper 'Marca', the Rojiblancos board quickly sealed the deal to strengthen the team's midfield for the new season 2026-2027, after other priority options failed, such as Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder João Gomes, who was a target for the club in the last winter transfer window. That transfer window saw sporting director Matteo Alamani move to sign a young duo for the future: Rodrigo Mendoza and Obed Vargas.

The pace of negotiations accelerated significantly in the past few weeks to finalize the signing of the Danish star for €40 million, as he joins a midfield that recently saw the announcement of captain Koke's contract renewal for an additional season, alongside the presence of Pablo Barrios and Junior Cardoso, both of whom suffered from injuries last season. They all become options for Argentine manager Diego Simeone.

The move to Atlético Madrid confirms the upward trajectory of Hjulmand's career, which began in professional football with Austrian side Admira Wacker, before moving to Lecce, and then to Sporting Lisbon, a stop that led him directly to the Metropolitano Stadium.

The 27-year-old Danish player has been a long-time target for Atlético Madrid, having been linked with the club in several previous transfer windows, before Matteo Alamani succeeded in finalizing the deal this summer. Hjulmand will compete directly with Junior Cardoso and Koke for a starting spot in Simeone's lineup as a defensive midfielder.