"Definitely a massive factor in that team" - Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag heaps praise on Premier League midfielder amid potential summer swoop
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has praised Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha as talk of a potential summer transfer surfaces. The Red Devils face the Cottagers on Sunday (March 19) in the FA Cup quarterfinals.
Ahead of the game at Old Trafford, Ten Hag touched on the importance of Palhinha to Marco Silva's side (via RedReveal):
"Palhinha is definitely a massive factor in that team in that deep position in midfield. (He) organises very good, links up very good, intercepting a lot of balls, but as I said, the whole team of Fulham is well-structured, and we have to play our best football."
Palhinha, 27, has been a standout performer for Fulham this season. The Portuguese midfielder arrived at Craven Cottage from Sporting CP last summer for £17 million and has scored four goals in 28 games across competitions.
The Sun reports that Manchester United are among a host of Premier League clubs showing interest in Palhinha. They're exploring the Fulham man as a potential alternative to Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham and West Ham United's Declan Rice. A deal for either player could cost around £100 million.
The Red Devils are joined by Newcastle United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Palhinha. He signed a five-year deal when he joined Fulham, so the Cottagers are in a strong position regarding his future.
However, Ten Hag will get a first-hand look at the Portuguese midfielder when his side face Fulham.
Manchester United's Harry Maguire warned by England boss Gareth Southgate over lack of game time
Harry Maguire was selected in Southgate's 25-man England squad for their upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers. The Three Lions face Italy at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Thursday (March 23) before hosting Ukraine at the Wembley three days later.
Maguire has struggled for game time this season, starting 11 of 23 games across competitions. The Red Devils captain has failed to displace Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez in Manchester United's defence.
Southgate did herald Maguire's performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar (via the Mirror):
“We are where we were ahead of the World Cup - and it’s not a perfect scenario. Harry has got two World Cup winners currently ahead of him in the (United) team, and that’s the benchmark. He dealt with it brilliantly in Qatar. His performances were exceptional."
However, the same report claims that the England boss has warned Maguire, 30, over his lack of game time at Manchester United. His future in the Three Lions' squad could be at risk if he continues to lack first-team minutes in club football.