Tottenham are closing in on the loan signing of Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha. The destructive number six joined the German giants in a £42.3m deal last summer and called it “the happiest day of my life” – although the move has since soured due to injury and a lack of playing time.
Palhinha has started just 10 games in all competitions for Bayern in the last year, prompting a potential move back to the Premier League where he excelled during his two seasons with Fulham between 2022 and 2024.
The 34-cap Portugal international proved to be a real bargain after swapping Sporting Lisbon for Craven Cottage for around £17m, comfortably topping the Premier League rankings for tackles with a total of 300 during his initial two-season stint – 109 more than any other player. He also ranked sixth for interceptions (92).
His combative style of play, however, does carry risks. The 30-year-old received 27 yellow cards across 2022-23 and 2023-24 – at least five more than anyone else.
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