Man United join Barcelona, Bayern in pursuit of €40 million-rated midfielder Deco likes

Having taken over the duties of the sporting director at Barcelona, Deco endured a busy summer transfer window and is already planning for the next player trading period come January.

As per reports this week, Deco and Barça deem it fit to sign another pivot midfielder in January despite having brought in Oriol Romeu in the summer.

And one of the names on the list of the club is Joao Palhinha of Fulham, with Deco being a huge admirer of his fellow Portuguese.

The 28-year-old enjoyed a stunning debut campaign in the Premier League last time out and attracted interest from top clubs across Europe.

Barcelona have had an eye on Palhinha since the summer but did not make a move because of the financial situation.

Competition increasing

While Barcelona are keeping an eye on Palhinha heading into the winter window, the competition for the midfielder’s signing is rising.

Bayern Munich came very close to signing the 28-year-old on the deadline day and the player even completed his medical only for the move to fall through.

As such, the German giants could make another swoop for his signing come January.

Now, Mundo Deportivo is reporting that Manchester United have also entered the fray for the signing of Palhinha, whose market value stands at €40 million.

The report further goes on to say that the Premier League giants could be preparing a mammoth €65 million bid for the 28-year-old, which could take him away from Barcelona.

Other options for Barça

As mentioned earlier, Palhinha is a player that Deco likes a lot. However, considering the competition for his signing and the fact that his contract runs until 2027 means that he could be an unaffordable target for Barcelona.

The Blaugrana are also looking at other, more cost-effective options such as Jorginho (Arsenal) and Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), both of whose contracts expire in 2024 and could be available for bargain in January.