---
title: "Tottenham Hotspur now monitoring Joao Palhinha"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-joao-palhinha-transfer-rumours/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dominic Lund"
section: "Follow up"
published: "2023-01-09T19:42:07Z"
modified: "2023-01-09T19:42:07Z"
---

# Tottenham Hotspur now monitoring Joao Palhinha

**[Tottenham Hotspur](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/) are now monitoring Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha for a transfer swoop, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.**

### The Lowdown: Palhinha’s form

Palhinha only joined Fulham in the summer, arriving for a fee of [£20m](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12645493/joao-palhinha-fulham-confirm-20m-signing-of-midfielder-from-sporting-lisbon-on-five-year-contract#:~:text=Fulham%20have%20made%20their%20first,least%20the%20summer%20of%202027.), but he has already impressed considerably for Marco Silva’s side, ranked as their best-performing midfielder in the [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/), averaging a [7.16](https://www.sofascore.com/team/football/fulham/43) match rating.

Given this fantastic start to life in England, it was perhaps inevitable that the top clubs would come calling, and now two of the so-called ‘big six’ appear to be interested in signing the Portugal international…

### The Latest: Conte eyeing Palhinha

According to transfer expert [Dean Jones (speaking to Give Me Sport)](https://www.givemesport.com/88101951-chelsea-koulibaly-liverpool-vlahovic-transfer-news-premier-league), both Tottenham and Liverpool are casting an eye over the 27-year-old for a potential summer move, with the Reds having him on their radar even before he moved to Fulham.

However, a deal may prove to be difficult, as the Cottagers do not want to lose him, as they know that they have a gem on their hands and believe the player is absolutely vital to their team.

[![Tottenham latest updates!](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg)](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-updates-2/)

### The Verdict: Get it done?

Tottenham’s priorities in this window have been [identified](https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/kessie-tete-conte-tottenham-transfer-25856386) as an attacking player and a right-back, so the former Sporting CP man isn’t a requirement, but landing him in the summer could prove to be a fantastic bit of business.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”419177″\]

[Hailed](https://twitter.com/Wilsonfooty/status/1555894137366482944?s=20&t=WCYNgErk15x0jacAOz-tnA) as ‘outstanding’ for his performance against Liverpool back in August, the maestro has gone from strength to strength as the weeks have gone by, later being [praised](https://twitter.com/MarkCarruthers_/status/1591857241036320768?s=20&t=WCYNgErk15x0jacAOz-tnA) by football writer Mark Carruthers for his work-rate and timing of challenges.

[Antonio Conte](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/antonio-conte/) already has Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as a defensive option in the midfield, but Palhinha has outclassed him by quite a large margin over the past year, [averaging](https://fbref.com/en/players/a78ff07f/Joao-Palhinha) more tackles, blocks, clearances and aerials won per 90 than the [Dane](https://fbref.com/en/players/8b04d6c1/Pierre-Hojbjerg), and so signing him would upgrade the central-midfield area considerably.