United had hoped to strengthen in the middle of the park over the summer with Brighton's Carlos Baleba a top target for the Premier League side. While Baleba was keen on the move, United failed to strike a deal with the Seagulls for the Cameroon international, who remained at the AMEX Stadium.
As such, Ruben Amorim has stuck with a midfield partnership of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, with Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo both overlooked by the Portuguese boss. Amorim's side had been expected to return for Baleba in the January window, though he isn't the only midfield target for United at the turn of the year.
Adam Wharton, Jobe Bellingham, Morten Hjulmand and Andrey Santos are among those reportedly joining Baleba on the club's midfield wishlist. However, Nani believes United should target an experienced head as they look to add a new face in the middle of the park, and has identified the perfect target.
Speaking exclusively with Covers.com, Nani has earmarked compatriot Joao Palhinha as the perfect midfield target, saying: "Joao Palhinha is a great player. I played with him at Sporting, where he was growing and learning a lot. After a few years, he became one of the best players in his position.
"He's very strong and talented at winning and recovering the ball, and tackling. He's also improved his forward play, scoring goals, connecting with the team, and moving forward with the ball. He's become a complete player in his position.
"I think he's a great player and can do really well for Tottenham. He had an opportunity with Bayern and we’re not sure what will happen next season, but he's a player who can play for any team in the world. He just needs to be consistent and fit, as injuries sometimes cause problems. I trust he will have a fantastic career."
Palhinha moved to Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich over the summer and has quickly become a mainstay for the north London side. Spurs have an option to make the move permanent, which they are reportedly exploring, but Nani believes the towering midfielder 'fits into Man Utd's DNA'.
"He is a player with energy, with power to recover balls and to fight. That is something that fits into Man Utd’s DNA," Nani added.
"Having players who are able first to fight on the field, like to recover the ball and challenge opponents to help the team win games. You can’t give your opponents any time in the Premier League and he has the energy and physical abilities to be such an asset for anyone."
Indeed, Palhinha has made more tackles than any other player in the Premier League this season, with 39.
United return to domestic duties on Saturday afternoon when they face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. They make the trip to the Midlands on a three-game winning run following victories over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton as they claw their way up the table following a disappointing start to the season.
Amorim over saw a run of one win in the opening five games of the campaign, including a shock EFL Cup second round exit at the hands of Grimsby on penalties. The sub-par start to the season heightened calls for United to sack the 40-year-old, who looks to have steadied the ship after a rocky first year at the Old Trafford helm.
The former Sporting CP boss is coming up to a year in charge of United having succeeded Erik ten Hag last November after the Dutchman was relieved of his duties.