Tottenham Hotspur are now monitoring Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha for a transfer swoop, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.
Joao Palhinha in action for Fulham© Provided by Transfer Tavern
The Lowdown: Palhinha’s form
Palhinha only joined Fulham in the summer, arriving for a fee of £20m, but he has already impressed considerably for Marco Silva’s side, ranked as their best-performing midfielder in the Premier League, averaging a 7.16 match rating.
Given this fantastic start to life in England, it was perhaps inevitable that the top clubs would come calling, and now two of the so-called ‘big six’ appear to be interested in signing the Portugal international…
The Latest: Conte eyeing Palhinha
According to transfer expert Dean Jones (speaking to Give Me Sport), both Tottenham and Liverpool are casting an eye over the 27-year-old for a potential summer move, with the Reds having him on their radar even before he moved to Fulham.
However, a deal may prove to be difficult, as the Cottagers do not want to lose him, as they know that they have a gem on their hands and believe the player is absolutely vital to their team.
The Verdict: Get it done?
Tottenham’s priorities in this window have been identified as an attacking player and a right-back, so the former Sporting CP man isn’t a requirement, but landing him in the summer could prove to be a fantastic bit of business.
Hailed as ‘outstanding’ for his performance against Liverpool back in August, the maestro has gone from strength to strength as the weeks have gone by, later being praised by football writer Mark Carruthers for his work-rate and timing of challenges.
Antonio Conte already has Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as a defensive option in the midfield, but Palhinha has outclassed him by quite a large margin over the past year, averaging more tackles, blocks, clearances and aerials won per 90 than the Dane, and so signing him would upgrade the central-midfield area considerably.
Source: Transfer Tavern
