Atletico Madrid scouts were present at the Stadio Via del Mare to watch Lecce players Morten Hjulmand, Valentin Gendrey and Joan Gonzalez. The Salentini have surprised many after their promotion to Serie A last season, propelling themselves toward mid-table safety after beating the likes of Atalanta and Lazio, while holding Milan, Roma and Napoli to draws. The performances have been in part down to coach Marco Baroni and the work of sporting director Pantaleo Corvino, who unearthed a number of gems since joining the club in 2020.
Sport Mediaset journalist Marco Barzaghi reports that the latest team to be interested in Lecce’s young stars is Atletico Madrid, with Hjulmand, Gendrey and Gonzalez the focus of their latest scouting trip.
Despite the interest, Atleti are likely to face opposition in their pursuit of Hjulmand, the Lecce club captain who has been with them since their promotion from Serie B in 2021/22.
Lecce have already turned down a €13m offer from a Premier League side for the Danish midfielder, but they are likely to be tested again as Sky Sport report that Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly very keen on signing the youngster at the end of the season. The 23-year-old has featured in 21 games so far this season and leads the league for interceptions.
Among the other names linked with Atleti, 22-year-old right-back Gendrey has featured 49 time since joining Lecce in 2021, while Gonzalez is a 21-year-old central midfielder who came through the Barcelona youth setup before arriving at the club last summer.
