Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly lining up an official proposal to sign Liverpool target and Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer, as per Football Insider.
The 27-year-old moved to Craven Cottage at the beginning of this season from Sporting CP in a £20m deal. The Portuguese has taken no time to settle down in his new surroundings and has been displaying promising performances in his debut campaign in the Premier League.
Palhinha’s impressive displays for Fulham have caught the attention of several big English clubs with Tottenham and Liverpool among those to have registered their interest.
After enduring a dire campaign this term, it has been suggested that the Merseysiders have prioritised revamping their engine room this summer.
They have been linked with numerous options ahead of the summer window with Mason Mount, Ryan Gravenberch and Matheus Nunes being mentioned as potential targets and along with them, Palhinha is reportedly also on Liverpool’s radar.
Battle
However, according to the report by Football Insider, Tottenham are also eyeing a move for the Portuguese international and the North London club are planning to trump Liverpool by submitting an official proposal.
Having signed last summer, Palhinha – valued at around £31m by Transfermarkt – still has more than four years left in his current contract. So, Fulham are in no rush to sell their star man over the coming months and Tottenham or Liverpool will have to submit a lucrative proposal to persuade the Cottagers to sell.
Palhinha, standing at 6ft 2in tall, is a holding midfielder, but can also be deployed in the box-to-box role. He is dynamic, can play threading passes between the lines, is excellent in defensive contributions, works extremely hard without possession and is brilliant in the air.
The 27-year-old has already showcased his talent during a very short spell in the Premier League. So, he would be a shrewd signing for Tottenham or Liverpool if either club manage to get a deal done this summer.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether Tottenham or Liverpool manage to persuade Fulham into selling if they decide to formalise their interest in purchasing Palhinha at the end of this season.
