Manchester United accused of turning their nose up at in-form Tottenham star

11 hours ago 27

Manchester United may have missed a trick this summer, as one agent believes a recent Tottenham Hotspur signing was exactly what Ruben Amorim’s side needed.

Tottenham Hotspur were shrewd in their summer dealings and, although they did not spend as heavily as some of their rivals, they made sure to strengthen their squad in key areas.

Importantly for Thomas Frank, several of his new additions have wasted little time adapting to both his system and the Premier League, with Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha emerging as early standouts.

It comes as little surprise that the pair have hit the ground running, considering their prior Premier League experience and familiarity with the league’s tempo and physicality.

Agent names Joao Palhinha as player Manchester United should have signed

In an annual survey of 20 agents conducted by The Athletic, one agent has singled out Tottenham’s summer signing Joao Palhinha as a player he believes Manchester United should have moved for.

When asked which under-the-radar signing might prove to be surprisingly successful, the unnamed agent responded: “Joao Palhinha to Tottenha I think he is top-drawer. Manchester United should have been signing him. But he is probably not fashionable enough.”

Palhinha has already scored three goals this season, including crucial strikes against Manchester City and Wolves, while also recording the most tackles of any Tottenham player.

His influence in midfield has been undeniable, and he has provided Frank with both control and bite in the middle of the park.

Spurs could make Palhinha loan move permanent

The Portuguese midfielder joined Tottenham on loan from Bayern Munich this summer, with an option for the move to become permanent.

Reports suggest that Bayern are open to allowing Palhinha leave permanently, while Spurs are equally keen to make the deal official.

A fee of around £26 million is understood to be enough for the Bavarian side to sanction his sale, and given his performances so far, it would be no surprise if Tottenham triggered that option.