Manchester United have made contact to express their interest in a move to sign a central talisman in January, according to a fresh report that has emerged.
The Red Devils have made an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having won nine and lost seven of their opening 16 games in the Premier League, although they are still firmly in contention to secure a place in the top four should they start picking up results on a more consistent basis.
Ahead of the upcoming window opening, Erik ten Hag will know that he needs to strengthen his squad should he want to try and qualify for the Champions League, and with Sofyan Amrabat having been nothing short of underwhelming following his summer arrival on loan, defensive midfield is a position that needs addressing.
Fulham’s Joao Palhinha has been identified as a potential candidate by the manager, with the 28-year-old having firmly established himself as Marco Silva’s overall best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 7.18 (Fulham statistics).
Joao Palhinha’s Recent Transfer History (Transfermarkt) | ||
|---|---|---|
Date | Left | Joined |
July 4, 2022 | Sporting CP | Fulham |
Jul 31, 2020 | SC Braga | Sporting CP (end of loan) |
Aug 7, 2018 | Sporting CP | SC Braga (loan) |
The Portugal international came extremely close to joining Bayern Munich over the summer, but with a deal collapsing on deadline day despite him travelling for a medical, he ended up remaining at Craven Cottage, and his impressive performances have brought him onto the radar of other clubs in the top-flight.
Man United hoping to land Palhinha
According to Football Transfers, Man United are interested in Palhinha and have made Fulham aware that they would be keen to secure his services in January.
“Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all expressed their desire to sign Palhinha in recent weeks, with FootballTransfers exclusively reporting that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are set to turn their attention to the Fulham man after learning Aston Villa’s asking price for Douglas Luiz. Sources have informed us that Palhinha may cost €58 million (£50m) in 2024, with a January move on the cards if a suitable bid is tabled.”
Palhinha could be a “monster” for Ten Hag
As it stands, Palhinha ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles so he loves to get stuck into challenges to try and win back possession for his team, but he’s also more than capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch (FBRef – Palhinha statistics).
Standing at 6 foot 2, Lisbon’s native has already posted three contributions (two goals and one assist), in 14 Premier League appearances this season, so considering how effective he can be both defensively and offensively, he’s such a well-rounded player.
Sponsored by Adidas, Ten Hag’s target even knows what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level because he has secured five pieces of silverware since the start of his career, so he will possess the winning mentality required to achieve what is expected of him at Old Trafford.
As dubbed by Video and Data Analyst Marcus Bring, Palhinha is a “defensive monster”, and when you look at all of the positive qualities that he could bring to the side, Man United have a no-brainer of a decision to make should the opportunity present itself in the coming weeks.
