Football Insider has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur is expected to launch a move for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer.
It may have come as a bit of a surprise to some when Fulham won the race for Palhinha’s signature last summer in a deal worth £20m, given that the midfielder seemed set for a switch to an elite club a couple of years ago.
The 27-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding debut season in the Premier League, having been the Cottager’s most consistent performer since his switch.
Football Insider claim that Palhinha’s displays at Craven Cottage have caught the attention of several big hitters, including Spurs, who are said to be ‘ready to swoop’ for him this summer.
The report reveals that the North London club could face competition from Chelsea and Manchester United for the Portugal international while Liverpool has also scouted him ahead of the summer.
Fulham is said to be aware of the growing interest in Palhinha, with Marco Silva’s men bracing themselves for offers this summer.
Spurs Web Opinion
There is no doubt that Palhinha would be a significant upgrade on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and I would take the Fulham man over James Ward-Prowse, who has also been mooted as a target for Spurs this summer.
I can see the Portugal international’s price skyrocketing as there could well be a bidding war for his services.
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£18M MAN IN: THREE MOST LIKELY CENTRE-BACK SIGNINGS FOR TOTTENHAM – OUR VIEW
Tottenham transfer news is not exactly the most important thing at Spurs right now as uncertainty takes over.
The North Londoners are currently without a Manager or a Director of Football after Antonio Conte was sacked and Fabio Paratici left due to his 30-month ban for false accounting at Juventus.
Despite the fact planning can’t exactly take place without those positions filled, one area which nobody can deny needs strengthening is the center-back department, so here are the three most likely arrivals in that position…
Marc Guehi
This deal has a very good chance of going through – in our view at least.
The Crystal Palace No.6 – who joined in an £18m deal from Chelsea back in July 2021 – has developed into an outstanding defender, winning three caps for England as a result.
Crucially – according to The Athletic – Crystal Palace need to make a significant sale this summer to balance the books, and with Football London describing Guehi as a key target for Spurs, a deal could be on.
Of course, whoever replaces Conte has to green-light the signing, but given how obviously talented the 22-year-old is, we can’t see why any new manager would not want him.
Pau Torres
Now, Tottenham has seemingly held a long-term interest in Torres since 2021 regardless of who their manager is, which leads us to think Levy is keeping an eye on his situation as the likes of Eric Dier, Clement Lenglet, Davinson Sanchez, and Japhet Tanganga struggle.
Spurs first tried to sign Spain international in 2021 – according to AS – and actually agreed to a £46m deal.
However, Torres wanted to experience Villarreal’s maiden Champions League campaign and opted to stay with his boyhood club, helping them reach the Semi-Final as Bayern Munich and Juventus were defeated en route.
90min believes Tottenham is still interested, and Roig Negueroles – Chief Executive Officer of Villarreal – recently told AS that the Yellow Submarine is having financial issues, so sales are needed.
Coupled with the fact that Torres only has 12 months remaining on his contract, we can certainly see him moving to Tottenham this summer if another bid is made.
Evan Ndicka
While Guehi and Torres would presumably cost upwards of £40m, Ndicka would be available for free.
Eintracht Frankfurt have already signed a replacement for the Frenchman in Willian Pacho as they prepare to lose their No.2 for nothing when his contract expires in July.
90min believes Ndicka is a target for Tottenham and has been scouted by the north Londoners, so this also seems like it could materialize into something concrete for Spurs.
