Roberto De Zerbi is eager to keep hold of Joao Palhinha beyond his loan spell, as talks with Bayern Munich could commence soon.
Joao Palhinha may not resemble the all-action midfielder he was during his debut season at Fulham. Following a terrific spell at Craven Cottage, the midfielder earned a big move to Bayern Munich, which was completed after initial complications.
Things did not work out at Bayern, and he has since returned to England on loan with Tottenham. There are huge question marks about whether Spurs have utilised his talents in the right way, as many fingers were pointed towards former boss Thomas Frank on why he could not use him in the way Fulham’s Marco Silva did.
However, in the recent revival of Tottenham and their easing away from the relegation zone, Palhinha has played a huge role. His match-winning goal against Wolves was the starting point, but his overall performance against Aston Villa last weekend was another marker set by the Portuguese international, who has 37 caps to his name.
His experience is seen as key in this regard, as all eyes will now be on whether Tottenham would want to keep him beyond his loan spell at the club. There were concerns that a permanent move might not materialise, although Roberto De Zerbi has had his say on the midfielder’s situation.
As per De Zerbi’s comments that appeared on The Athletic on X, the Italian manager wants to keep hold of the midfielder beyond his loan spell. The Italian insisted that Palhinha is one of the more reliable stars around and stated that keeping him should be a starting point for the club as they gear up for an important summer window ahead.
De Zerbi said, “We have to start with these types of people. More than players, we need reliable people, reliable players, and Palhinha is one of the best as a player, for sure, but as a guy.”
“I want to see players with the same passion, attitude, spirit and personality. We are very lucky to have Palhinha with us.”
Bayern Munich are keeping an eye on Palhinha’s situation at Tottenham, as Spurs have not yet indicated their willingness to trigger the reported £25 million buy option in their loan deal. There are further suggestions that Spurs could open talks to reduce the midfielder’s asking price, which could be the main point of discussions between the two sides.
Keeping Palhinha could have its merits, but the midfielder has not shown the kind of form that convinced Bayern Munich to pay Fulham big money. In the medium term, the experienced midfielder could help De Zerbi’s side build a strong foundation until they can find a more long-term solution.