Tottenham Hotspur are once again eyeing a move for Joao Palhinha, who is highly favoured by new coach Nuno Espirito Santo.
According to an exclusive report from Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are exploring a deal for Joao Palhinha. It appears the Premier League giants are determined to sign a new midfielder during the remaining three weeks before the transfer window slams to a shut, with the Sporting CP star emerging as a potential option.
Palhinha is strongly favoured by the club’s newly-appointed head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, with the player expected to cost around £14 million. However, Spurs may face competition from Nuno’s former club Wolves, whose manager Bruno Lage is also determined to secure the services of the highly talented central midfielder.
Tottenham do have the financial advantage over Wolves, though, as the Midlands outfit may need to offload their star players before they can afford to bring in Palhinha.
The departure of one of their top talents in Ruben Neves could be useful, with the Portuguese international reportedly a subject of interest for both Arsenal and Manchester United this summer.
For Spurs, they are not in immediate need of departures, but they certainly do have a stacked midfield unit. On that note, it might not be surprising to see them sanctioning the departure of a few of their unwanted players, with Tanguy Ndombele not being favoured by Nuno in pre-season. Youngster Oliver Skipp has emerged as a target for Newcastle United and Norwich City, but is likely to stay.
Moussa Sissoko, too, faces an uncertain future in north London, and his departure could go a long way in helping Tottenham make space for Palhinha. A crucial part of Portugal’s Euro 2020 campaign this summer, the Sporting CP starlet is identified as a combative holding midfielder who is strong in the air and can offer solidity in the middle of the park.
He can thus be a direct upgrade over Sissoko, largely due to the midfielder’s passing ability. A fee of just £14 million even makes him a potential bargain for the Lilywhites, as the Portuguese international can add depth in the midfield setup and offer himself as a perfect partner for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Their work rate in the middle should ultimately improve the club’s discipline in the second line of press, building a solid base for gifted creators like Giovani Lo Celso, Dele Alli and Son Heung-Min to spill their magic in the final third next season.
