Fulham and West Ham United have reportedly enquired about the possibility of signing Joao Palhinha, who could be sold by Bayern Munich.
According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Joao Palhinha has emerged on the radars of Fulham and West Ham United ahead of the summer. The two London sides have enquired about the Portuguese midfielder’s potential availability, with Bayern Munich not necessarily opposed to the idea of selling him in the close season.
Joao Palhinha is yet to cement his place in Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich side, as some injuries and illness issues have disrupted his season. He has missed eight Bundesliga matches through injury, two through illness and one with a suspension while making only six starts in the league in his 14 appearances so far.
Palhinha developed a reputation as a tough midfielder following his short spell at Fulham, who ended up selling him to Bayern Munich for a reported fee of £47 million. The Cottagers are now exploring the possibility of re-signing the Portuguese international in the summer as Marco Silva is ready to reintegrate him into his setup.
Fulham are in the market for a defensive-minded midfielder, having been linked with Christian Norgaard among others. Silva seemingly wants someone in addition to his existing defensive midfielder Sander Berge, and they have enquired about Joao Palhinha ahead of the summer alongside West Ham United.
The Hammers are considering a new midfielder in the summer and could view Palhinha as a suitable outlet for their system. West Ham are linked with a few names like AC MIlan’s Yunus Musah, although they could explore a move for the £47 million Bayern Munich midfielder in case the conditions are right.
Bayern Munich ready to sell Joao Palhinha
Bayern Munich are ready to move aggressively in the market and even consider selling Palhinha for the right price in the window. The decision might stem from the fact that Kompany’s team have done relatively well without the Portuguese, as they could use the funds to move on to another player in the position.
As for Joao Palhinha, the report states the midfielder is eager to stay on and fight for his place. However, this might be a case for the player to explore further and figure out if he has a big part in Kompany’s plans for next season, as he could potentially consider a return to the Premier League, where he has teams waiting for his signature.
