Aston Villa could pay big money to sign Joao Palhinha from Fulham in the summer, with figures of £60 million being quoted around.
According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are ready to beat competition from Chelsea and Manchester United to sign Joao Palhinha. The West Midlands side are willing to pay £60 million to sign the Fulham midfielder, with speculation around an exit rife.
Aston Villa are keen to strengthen their squad ahead of the summer window. Unai Emery wants a new midfielder to add security to the backline, with some high-profile names being mentioned. They have been linked with big names as the club takes some progressive strides ahead.
There’s the potential chance of playing in Europe next season, but irrespective of that Villa want to spend sufficiently to prepare a challenging side. Joao Palhinha has emerged on their shortlist of new midfielders. There has also been talk of a double raid for Real Sociedad duo Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi.
However, Emery might look at the prospect of Palhinha and urge the club to make the move. The report insists Aston Villa are now prepared to pay £60 million for the Portuguese enforcer, which would match Fulham’s asking price. The Cottagers had hoped for a long-term stay, but with growing interest, they might look to sell.
Manchester United are also interested in the midfielder, but whether they are willing to match Fulham’s asking price remains the question. There’s also mention of Chelsea in the race, with Liverpool also linked for some time now.
The Blues are looking for a midfield enforcer to facilitate Enzo Fernandez in the position. The arrival of a new anchorman there could free up the Argentine. However, Palhinha’s asking price may prove problematic for Chelsea, who may seemingly go for a much younger prospect instead.
Palhinha has been a revelation after joining Fulham last summer. He has added some much-needed steel to Marco Silva’s side, which kept them in the hunt for a European place a while ago. The Portuguese star has posted the highest number of tackles this season among all players in the Premier League.
With Fulham seeking a big transfer fee, close to £60 million, Villa are now ready to pay up and get ahead of the competition. If they make it into Europe, it would benefit them in the chase, but overall, it could prove a step up for Palhinha.
