Fulham are closing in on Joao Palhinha on a four-year deal from Sporting CP, with Wolves reportedly out of the race for the midfielder.
Fulham could be on the verge of signing their top midfield target Joao Palinha from Sporting CP, which according to A Bola (via Sport Witness), will be on a four-year deal. The midfielder was also on Wolves’ radar, but the Midlands club have bowed out of the race.
Joao Palhinha is reportedly inching closer to joining a Premier League side, with the 26-year-old midfielder pencilled in to join Fulham in the coming days. The London side are on the verge of agreeing on a deal with Sporting CP for the Portugal international.
The midfielder has been on the radars of multiple Premier League sides, including Wolves, who have seemingly backed out of the chase. Their inability to sell Ruben Neves is directly linked with Bruno Lage’s side calling off their pursuit of the Sporting midfielder.
That has left Fulham with a clear path to make their move, and the Cottagers are seemingly close to agreeing on a deal with the Portuguese side. The report insists a €20 million deal is close to being finalised between the two clubs, with Palhinha reportedly agreeing to a salary worth €2.5 million per season.
Palhinha has been a strong player for Sporting in recent seasons. Having played a key role in their title triumph in 2020/21, he made 38 appearances across all competitions in the last season. His abilities in holding things together in midfield are deeply valued by those interested in his services.
Everton and Tottenham were keen on the midfielder at one stage, but Wolves seemingly took centre-stage as they looked for a replacement for Neves. However, as things stand, Lage’s side are out of the running, and Fulham are the frontrunners for his signature.
The Cottagers were on course to hijack a deal and have now been successful in their endeavours. They are on the verge of bringing the midfielder to the Premier League to help Marco Silva help keep the side afloat in the top tier and survive the relegation battle.
Palhinha brings experience with him and can prove to be a good asset for the Cottagers. His reported price tag of €20 million could be considered a steal for a 26-year-old with five years left on his Sporting contract. Fulham could create a good base with Palhinha in midfield, and more signings are expected after the Portuguese star arrives.
