Joao-Palhinha-in-action-for-Fulham
Wolverhampton Wanderers ‘missed a trick’ by not signing Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha last summer, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.
The Lowdown: Palhinha turned down
Sporting CP’s former player made the move to the Premier League and Craven Cottage in July 2022, but prior to his transfer, he could have easily been on his way to Molineux.
The Express and Star report that the 27-year-old did hold talks and was offered to the Midlands outfit thanks to being a client of Jorge Mendes, who the club have a strong connection with, but the hierarchy declined the chance to recruit him.
The Portuguese international also later claimed that he never considered joining any other club than Fulham, with Bruno Lage being in charge at the time as opposed to Julen Lopetegui.
The Latest: Taylor’s comments
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Taylor suggested that Wolves made a mistake by not accepting the opportunity to land Palhinha. He said:
“It was interesting because Wolves tried to do that deal, but they then went ahead with Nunes.
“Ultimately, everyone was saying ‘Matheus Nunes, what a signing’. But I feel like Wolves maybe missed a trick with Palhinha and Wolves fans have certainly made that known now.”
The Verdict: Worth another attempt
Palhinha is Fulham’s top-performing defensive player and so it would definitely be worth Wolves attempting another deal should the opportunity arise.
The Lisbon native currently ranks in the 99th percentile for most tackles made by midfielders in Europe and is averaging 2.1 aerial wins per top-flight 90 minutes.
Standing at 6 foot 3, he would also add a different dimension to the midfield with his height and physical presence in the air.
Palhinha has even been dubbed a ‘Casemiro-esque’ player by journalist Zach Lowy and he would be the ideal successor for Ruben Neves should the captain depart at the end of the season.
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