Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on signing Joao Palhinha, who is set to cost a whopping €60 million, this summer.
A new report from Record has offered an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Joao Palhinha. The Premier League giants are believed to be one of two clubs, along with Wolves, interested in the services of the Sporting CP midfielder.
However, the report indicates that Spurs may have to fork out €60 million, the exact value of his release clause, in order to prise the midfielder away from Sporting in the summer.
It is a major blow for the Lilywhites, who are in the market for reinforcements in the midfield department this summer. Palhinha was targeted as an ideal option due to his success at Sporting CP, being one of the driving figures behind the Lions’ fairytale Liga NOS title-winning campaign last term.
A defensive midfielder by trade, the 26-year-old was an ever-present figure in the middle of the park, notching up 32 appearances. His control, positional awareness, and passing were vital in helping Sporting remain unbeaten throughout the 2020/21 league campaign.
Palhinha’s performances have not gone unnoticed, with the player now courted by Tottenham. It is hardly surprising either, as the Lilywhites have brought in Nuno Espirito Santo, who is known for building his squad around an abundance of Portuguese players.
Incidentally, the one Premier League club rivalling Tottenham in the pursuit of Palhinha is Nuno’s old club Wolves. It seems Bruno Lage has identified the Sporting CP star as an ideal replacement for Ruben Neves, who has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal this summer.
As for Tottenham, Palhinha is likely being considered as a direct upgrade over Moussa Sissoko. Other than Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Spurs haven’t had much luck with midfielders lately, but Nuno is looking to change that by bringing in players that can effortlessly fit into his tactical philosophy next season.
However, a fee of €60 million might be way too expensive for a club still recovering from the brunt of the pandemic. Fortunately, Palhinha is not Tottenham’s only midfield option, with the Lilywhites also being linked with a move for his Portuguese compatriot Renato Sanches.
In addition to the LOSC Lille starlet, Tottenham have also reportedly joined Arsenal in the race to sign Houssem Aouar. But their activity in the market this summer will largely depend on their success when it comes to offloading fringe players like Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko this summer.
