Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are ready to battle it out for the services of 28-year-old Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.
According to a report by Mundo Deportivo, Joao Palhinha is on the radar of Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. The three European giants are expected to push for the 28-year-old’s services in the winter transfer window.
Palhinha joined Fulham last summer for a fee of just €22 million from Sporting CP. Since arriving in England, the Portuguese international has gone from strength to strength. He has featured in 43 matches and has five goals to show for it.
He has been a rock in front of the Cottagers’ defence, and his impressive performances have not gone unnoticed. Bayern Munich wanted to acquire his services in the recently-concluded transfer window. They had agreed on a deal with Fulham and the player had completed his medical.
But the Cottagers failed to secure a replacement in time and the move collapsed. While Palhinha is all set to continue at Fulham for now, Bayern are expected to return for his services in the winter. They rate him very highly and will do their best to secure his signatures.
However, it won’t be easy this time around as Barcelona and Manchester United have also entered the race. The Catalan giants recently added Oriol Romeu to their ranks. The 31-year-old defensive midfielder has been signed to fill the void left by Sergio Busquets.
But, Barcelona are well aware of the fact that they need another defensive midfielder in the mix, someone who is at least a bit younger than Romeu. They have shortlisted a few cost-effective options but also have their eyes on the Portuguese international, who might cost around €65 million.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that Manchester United are also keen on having him in their ranks. The Red Devils are ready to match the bid submitted by the German giants on the transfer deadline day. Erik ten Hag wants a rock-solid base in the centre of the park and is willing to add another defensive midfielder to the mix.
Also Read: Barcelona Summer Transfer Window Verdict 2023
While the Red Devils have been linked with the 28-year-old, it looks unlikely that they will make a move for the Portuguese international’s services. They already have Casemiro and Sofyan Amrabat for the defensive role and adding Palhinha to the mix won’t really make sense.
