
Liverpool are almost certainly in the market for a defensive midfielder after failing to sign an elite-level number six in the last summer transfer window.
Ryan Gravenberch’s emergence this season as a number 6 has saved Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes’ blushes but the club are looking to source a new player in the upcoming transfer windows.
Plans are in place to sell Wataru Endo in January to part-fund the move but there are suggestions that they could even wait until next summer to sign a truly quality player.
It seems unlikely that they will return for Martin Zubimendi given the Spaniard’s reluctance to leave the comforts of Real Sociedad at this stage of his career.
The club are tracking several midfielders but the club have been tipped to bring in someone they were linked with in Sporting Lisbon when Ruben Amorim was touted as Jurgen Klopp’s replacement.
National team manager feels the midfield star is destined for a club like Liverpool
Brian Riemer, recently announced as the new manager of the Denmark national team, is a big fan of Sporting Lisbon midfield star Morten Hjulmand.
The Denmark boss was the assistant manager at Brentford for a couple of seasons and is well aware of the challenges of the Premier League.
He is certain that Hjulmand is destined to play for one of the big clubs of the Premier League such as Liverpool.
Riemer stressed that the defensive midfielder reminds him of players of yesteryears who brought personality and leadership qualities to the pitch apart from the obvious technical ability.
He is confident that the Sporting Lisbon midfielder will one day be a star in the top flight of English football.
“I spent two years in the Premier League and I think he has the necessary qualities to play for the six/seven best clubs in the English league”, Riemer told the Portuguese daily O Jogo.
“Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City… At a certain point in his career, I believe he will arrive at one of these teams.
“His character, his leadership, his personality, and his communication are not very common in today’s football, and I was at many clubs, in Copenhagen, Brentford, and Anderlecht.
“It reminds us of the defensive midfielders of the past, who controlled the entire game, who led the teams, you don’t see that much nowadays. It’s something rare what Hjulmand has. I’m a big fan of his, I think we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg with Hjulmand.”
A move for the midfielder would not be cheap as he has a €80m release clause and Sporting Lisbon are unlikely to accept a lower figure.
