Manchester United and Liverpool must compete with Bayern for the Premier League’s top defensive midfielder.

Liverpool and Manchester United are both in need of a defensive midfielder. Joao Palhinha may be the finest defensive midfielder in the Premier League. They will not tolerate Bayern’s attempt to recruit him.

Nobody will be surprised to learn that Bayern Munich continues to have an interest in Joao Palhinha. The German giants had their £57 million offer for the defensive midfielder rejected in the summer. However, according to reports, they will re-enter the market in January, and Fulham is reportedly prepared to part with the Portugal international, who is still presumably seeking greater opportunities.

Thomas Tuchel, having been unable to acquire a comparable replacement for Konrad Laimer (who joined on a free transfer from RB Leipzig) or Leon Goretzka in a double-pivot with Joshua Kimmich, has utilized neither player. Neither player has exhibited a sense of ease under pressure, nor do they offer the defensive cover and aggression that Tuchel evidently seeks.

At Bayern, there is a palhinha-shaped cavity. However, this is also the case at Manchester United and Liverpool.

“Palhinha’s participation for Liverpool could potentially lead to league championship.” Owen Hargreaves, a man who resembles an antiquated version of the midfielder he believes Jurgen Klopp is missing, exclaimed, “He is that good.”

Since commencing his £35 million transfer from Brighton, Alexis Mac Allister has primarily performed admirably in that defensive position. While it is true that having a creative player such as Mac Allister in that deeper position can be advantageous, Liverpool’s unsuccessful pursuits of Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo during the summer, along with persistent rumors comparing them to alternative No.6 options, indicate that they are merely provisional until Klopp can finalize his midfield reshuffle.

Palhinha has been linked, but only in the meaningless sense that “Liverpool needs a defensive midfielder”; the flimsy rumors lack both substance and confirmation. It is peculiar that the club has no significant interest in Palhinha, considering his aspiration to advance to a higher level and the club’s need for a defensive midfielder.

This season, Palhinha has amassed 69 combined tackles and interceptions, which is the most among any Premier League player. Indeed, no one even comes close, with Yves Bissouma ranking second with a score of 54. The situation was identical the previous term, when Moises Caicedo (156) finished analagicic to Palhinha (193).

The fact that Chelsea paid £115 million for Caicedo following his performances for Brighton last season and the acclaim that Bissouma has received this season should serve as further evidence of Palhinha’s brilliance.

His age could pose a problem. In comparison to Patrick Palhinha (24), Ryan Gravenberch (21) and Dominik Szoboszlai (23) were acquired by Liverpool during the summer; therefore, Palhinha, age 28, could be regarded as a provisional replacement.

However, insofar as that makes sense, he is only 28 years old; he failed to start a significant number of games until 2019; thus, he is a late bloomer. Palhinha has accumulated 290 appearances during his senior year, a marked contrast to Bruno Fernandes, who is only a few months elder and has amassed more than 500. Although we would avoid saying so because it would be considered unseemly, Palhinha has the legs of a 26-year-old.

Manchester United might be more concerned about Casemiro’s age than Liverpool, considering his alarming decline. But precisely due to the Brazilian’s swift decline, United require Palhinha just as much, if not more, than their red rivals. During the summer, they were linked with marginally more enthusiasm than Liverpool.

Old Trafford spectators are at a loss for laughter as they observe Christian Eriksen futilely pursue counterattacking whippersnappers. He requires a warrior to complement him, just as Casemiro was last season, and Scott McTominay, despite possessing a wealth of Manchester United ancestry, is not the solution to Erik ten Hag’s midfield dilemma. It does not appear that Sofyan Amrabat will be either.

Palhinha is the ideal candidate for both Manchester United and Liverpool, and both clubs would be irate to give Bayern an opportunity to acquire a player who would unquestionably and immediately elevate them to a much higher level as football sides.