Fulham star Joao Palhinha is being eyed up by Manchester United to beef up their midfield this summer.
United, Newcastle, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are all monitoring the Portuguese.
But boss Marco Silva is determined to resist bids for the star.
Fulham paid an initial £17million to sign Palhinha from Sporting Lisbon last year but his performances so far in this campaign will have more than doubled his value to £40m-plus.
He has made more tackles than any midfielder in the big five leagues in Europe and has been the heartbeat of Silva’s side as they chase qualification for Uefa competition next season.
Palhinha’s price tag is also pushed up by the fact that he still has more than four years left on his contract, with the club holding another year’s option.
Because of his age - he will turn 28 in July - the Fulham star may not be the first choice of top clubs who have a policy of signing younger players.
But Palhinha will still be high on the list of candidates as the biggest clubs in England look to strengthen their options in the middle of the pitch.