Liverpool and Arsenal are reportedly keen on signing Fulham star Joao Palhinha in the upcoming transfer window, as per Football Insider.
After moving to Craven Cottage ahead of last season, the Portuguese has been displaying promising performances for the West London club in recent years.
The midfielder’s eye-catching performances in the Premier League has attracted a lot of attention from several big clubs around Europe. Bayern Munich expressed their interest in signing him and were very close to acquiring his service last summer.
But, the deal fell through as the Bavarian club couldn’t manage to secure his signature before the deadline. However, Football Insider has reported that although the Bundesliga giants failed to get the deal done last time out, they remain keen on signing him and could reignite their interest during the off-season.
But, the report claims that Liverpool and Arsenal are also ‘long-term admirers’ of the 28-year-old and they are ready to go head-to-head with Bayern Munich over this deal.
Battle
Fulham’s vice-chairman Tony Khan has recently revealed that they are ready to cash-in on Palhinha if they receive a suitable proposal. So, Arsenal or Liverpool could manage to secure his signature in the upcoming transfer window if either club formalise their interest.
Palhinha – valued at around £51m by Transfermarkt – still has more than four years left in his current contract. So, Fulham are expected to demand a big fee to let their star man leave.
Liverpool have recently revamped their engine room but it seems they still want to sign a new midfielder to beef up their middle of the park as they have been linked with a few names ahead of the summer window.
On the other hand, it has been suggested that Arsenal want to purchase a new midfielder as a potential replacement for Thomas Partey – who has found it difficult to stay fit in recent years.
Palhinha is a talented player and has already showcased his qualities in the Premier League in recent times. So, he would be a great coup for Arsenal or Liverpool if either club purchase him this summer.
It is going to be interesting to see who will eventually win the race to sign Palhinha if Arsenal go head-to-head with Liverpool over this deal during the off-season.
