Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have held talks with the representatives of 28-year-old Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United are all keen on having Joao Palhinha in their ranks. The 28-year-old defensive midfielder has been on fire over the last 18 months, and he is on the radar of some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Meanwhile, Fulham will demand £60 million to part ways with him.
The Portuguese international joined Fulham in the summer of 2022 from Sporting CP for a fee of £18 million. It did not take him long to settle in England, and he has since been a consistent performer for the Cottagers.
Fulham had an exceptional 2022/23 season, and the 28-year-old was one of the top performers. As a result, there was a lot of interest in his services from across Europe during the summer. Bayern Munich were keen on acquiring Joao Palhinha, and they had even managed to strike a deal with the Cottagers.
The German giants were ready to fork out an initial fee of £60 million for his services. The Portuguese midfielder was all set to be unveiled as a new Bayern player on deadline day. But the move fell off as Fulham could not find a replacement in time.
The Cottagers then agreed on a new deal with the 28-year-old. His new contract runs until the summer of 2028, and there is an option with the club to extend it by another 12 months. Despite the new deal, there is still a lot of interest in his services.
Bayern still seem interested, but the player might prefer staying in England with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United keen on his signatures. All three clubs have held talks with the player’s representatives as they look to land him in 2024.
The Merseyside club’s midfield overhaul is not complete yet, as they want another defensive midfielder. And Joao Palhinha could be an ideal fit in Jurgen Klopp’s system. Meanwhile, Casemiro’s struggle for form has forced Manchester United to look for a new defensive midfielder, and they feel the Fulham star could help their cause.
As far as Arsenal are concerned, Mikel Arteta is always on the lookout for players who can bolster his squad and he feels the Portuguese international could add more quality as well as depth to their ranks.
All three clubs are expected to push for his signatures in the upcoming window, and the Cottagers might let him leave for a fee of around £60 million. But, given the volatile nature of the winter window, they could even ask for more than that.
