Manchester United are believed to be interested in making a move for Fulham sensation, Joao Palhinha this summer, with manager Erik ten Hag seemingly keen to bolster his midfield ranks ahead of next season.

What's the latest on Palhinha to Man United?

According to The Sun, the Red Devils are said to be 'monitoring' the 27-year-old ahead of the upcoming window, with it looking as if the Carabao Cup winners will 'make their move' once the market re-opens.

The report suggests that the former Sporting CP ace – who only arrived at Craven Cottage on a £17m deal last summer – could fetch as much as £60m if he was to depart in the near future, with Marco Silva's side having already identified a potential replacement for the Portugal international in the form of Porto's Mateus Uribe.

It would appear that Palhinha has been something of a long-term target for those at the Theatre of Dreams, with reports early last year having suggested that United were keeping tabs on the 20-cap menace.

Would Palhinha be a good fit for Man United?

While the addition of the 6 foot 3 titan would arguably not be the playmaking, Frenkie de Jong-esque signing that Ten Hag may be craving, it would certainly add some further steel to a midfield department that has only recently been strengthened by the £70m addition of Casemiro from Real Madrid last summer.

To have the potential to partner the latter man alongside Palhinha on occasion is truly mouthwatering indeed, with the Old Trafford outfit set to have a simply menacing and destructive duo on their hands in front of the back four.

In the case of the Cottagers' rock, the £50k-per-week monster has arguably been "one of the signings of the season", according to Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir, having been a real standout presence at the heart of the midfield in west London throughout the current campaign.

Hailed as being as "strong as an ox" by Weir, the towering brute currently ranks first in the division for tackles made (105) as a marker of his ball-winning prowess, memorably making nine tackles and winning 12 duels in total when taking on Ten Hag's men in the Premier League back in November.

That class was again evident when the two sides met again in the FA Cup prior to the international break, with Palhinha winning nine of his 13 total duels, while also showcasing his quality in possession after completing three of his four attempted dribbles.

To have such an all-rounder alongside Casemiro would certainly offer the top-four hopefuls real solidity, with the Brazil international – who has been hailed as the "cement" in the side by Ten Hag – also a ferocious presence in the centre of the park after averaging 3.1 tackles per game this season in the league, a record only slightly lower than that of Palhinha (four tackles per game).

That partnership would also potentially allow the current United man to offer more in a creative sense having thus far created five big chances and averaged 0.9 key passes per game, with Palhinha – who has created zero big chances and averages just 0.2 key passes per game – providing more of a defensive shield.

Whether or not the deal does come to pass, it would certainly be of intrigue to see Ten Hag put together a midfield pairing that few teams in the league would relish coming up against.