Tottenham have told Joao Palhinha they would prefer his stay, but face a looming threat from a Portuguese trio.
Tottenham are yet to steer clear of the threat of relegation, but they are already making plans for the summer window with a view to staying in the Premier League. Part of their plans involves keeping hold of some of their current players, as Team Talk reports they have informed on-loan star Joao Palhinha of their wish to keep him beyond the summer.
Joao Palhinha may not be the most consistent player for Tottenham, as is the case with most of their stars this term. However, the club are taking a stance on his future and have reportedly informed him of their desire to keep him beyond his loan spell.
Spurs had planned on opening discussions with Bayern Munich to reduce his asking price, which is currently a £27 million buy option written into the loan deal. Roberto De Zerbi himself confirmed his desire to keep hold of the midfielder, but there are plenty of challenges to manoeuvre through before they can sign him permanently.
Tottenham to Face Portuguese Threat for Joao Palhinha?
A recent report stated that Palhinha has second thoughts about staying at Tottenham, not for a sporting reason but in a bid to stay closer to his family and kids. Since then, a host of clubs from Portugal have been linked to the midfielder, including former side Sporting CP, while heavyweight rivals FC Porto and Benfica have also joined the race.
Should Palhinha decide to return to Portugal, he will have plenty of options, as those clubs will be ready to open negotiations with Bayern Munich to reduce the asking price. However, Tottenham are still in the mix and ready to make their push to keep hold of the 30-year-old in north London beyond the summer.
What Is Stopping Tottenham from Keeping Joao Palhinha?
Relegation is the number one reason why Tottenham cannot keep hold of Palhinha alongside other first-team stars. They have two games to save their season, with the fight for survival still very much in their hands. The second reason may be rather personal to the midfielder, who, if reports are true, wants to return to his homeland to stay closer to his family, as mentioned earlier.
Spurs have a chance to keep hold of players like Palhinha if they stay up. However, they may be eager to sign him on reduced terms, which could be another complication standing in the way of securing the midfielder. Overall, the messaging around the Portuguese international is mixed at the moment, and the period after the season ends will make things much clearer.