Fulham preparing to pounce to sign Palhinha with Tottenham move now in doubt

Fulham are now preparing a move to hijack a permanent deal for an “incredible” Premier League midfielder who Marco Silva already knows well.

Cottagers in good form heading into Chelsea derby

The Cottagers are now up to 11th in the Premier League table, extending their unbeaten run to five games after Harrison Reed fired home a spectacular late equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw against Liverpool last time out.

Silva is likely to feel as though justice was served, with the manager expressing his disbelief that Florian Wirtz’s goal wasn’t disallowed for an offside, saying: “Now, I have more images, different tools. For me, I cannot believe how that goal was allowed, it was a clear offside.

“We are still waiting for feedback from the Premier League. Everyone had the same opinion, it was clear. It’s much more than 5cm in my opinion.”

Although the west Londoners were ultimately unable to secure all three points, the fact they went toe-for-toe with last season’s champions is a very good sign, heading into the derby match against Chelsea tonight.

Performances have been much-improved as of late, but Fulham remain keen on strengthening their squad this month, and they recently made an approach to sign Real Betis midfielder Sergi Altimira.

However, according to a report from TEAMtalk, the Cottagers are also eyeing up a midfielder from much closer to home, with it being revealed they are preparing to pounce to sign Joao Palhinha, who is currently on loan at Tottenham Hotspur from Bayern Munich.

Tottenham have the option to make the midfielder’s stay permanent for £26m, but there is a feeling they could now abort the deal, which could open the door for a return to Craven Cottage.

Should Spurs choose not to snap up the Portuguese maestro, Fulham would consider a move, and if he is able to replicate his previous exploits at the club, he could be a fantastic addition…

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Palhinha could be “incredible” signing for Fulham

Silva knows the central midfielder well, having previously worked together at Craven Cottage, during which time he put in some top-quality performances, particularly impressing with his tackling ability.

The 30-year-old, who has been praised for his “incredible work rate and exceptional tackling“, has continued to catch the eye from a defensive point of view across spells with Bayern and Spurs over the past year, while also displaying a keen eye for goal, when compared to other midfielders.

As such, it would perhaps be a little unusual if Tottenham chose not to take up the option to sign Palhinha permanently, but their loss could be Fulham’s gain.