Ruben Amorim knows João Palhinha. He knows the grit, the steel, the relentlessness. At Sporting CP, they lifted the Liga Portugal title together. Now, at Manchester United, Amorim wants that same engine driving his midfield.
Palhinha’s journey since leaving Lisbon has been uneven. A standout at Fulham, his performances caught Bayern Munich’s eye.
But under Vincent Kompany last season, he drifted to the fringes—too combative for a coach preferring artistry over brute force at the base of midfield. The fit was awkward. The minutes were scarce.
Bayern are ready to sell as reported by Caught Offside. Their price: £26 million. United, weighed down by financial caution, would prefer a loan, but the Germans won’t budge.
Competition is certain.
Still, Amorim’s pull matters. He wants intensity in the middle, and apart from Manuel Ugarte, United’s current midfield—Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo—lacks the legs to press and harry as he demands. Casemiro’s decline has been evident. The physical battle of the Premier League no longer bends to his will.
Palhinha thrives where games are won and lost—in the collisions, the interceptions, the second balls. He is not a deep-lying orchestrator but a disruptor, the player who makes artistry possible by doing the unseen labour.
Time is ticking in this window. If United can find the funds, this would be more than a signing—it would be Amorim reclaiming a trusted soldier.
And for Palhinha, it would be the return to a league, and a manager, where he once flourished.