According to a report in the paper edition of Record (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur and chairman Daniel Levy have been told the exact fee needed to sign Sporting Lisbon ace Joao Palhinha this summer.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites join Palhinha race...

Tottenham have apparently joined the long list of clubs eyeing Palhinha after his impressive Euro 2020 campaign with Portugal.

A previous report from A Bola (via Sport Witness) cited Spurs among a plethora of interested sides, which included Atalanta, Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Napoli.

The 26-year-old midfield maestro is reportedly a wanted man, with another update now surfacing from the continent.

The Latest: Spurs told fee needed...

As per Portuguese newspaper Record, shared by Sport Witness, Levy has been told the Spurs fee needed to snap up Palhinha for new manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

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However, it won't be cheap, with Sporting apparently setting a firm stance.

It is believed that the Liga NOS giants won't sell for any less than his €60 million (£51.1m) release clause with only that amount being enough to secure any agreement.

Record also say that Spurs and Wolves 'best have' Palhinha as a target this summer among other interested parties and the player previously revealed his dream of playing in England.

The Verdict: Avoid...

The 6 foot 2 tough-tackler has also impressed at club level, averaging a mighty 3.3 successful challenges per 90 over 2020/2021 - more than any Tottenham ace managed in the Premier League (WhoScored).

He has also been described as a 'special player' by Sporting boss Ruben Amorim (MaisFutebol via Manchester News Today), but we believe £51.1m is too steep - especially considering Spurs already have Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp for defensive midfield roles.

Tottenham have glaring weaknesses in other parts of the squad like centre-half, and amid this difficult financial climate, Levy and managing director Fabio Paratici must use any transfer funds accordingly.

In other news: Tottenham chiefs perform Harry Kane U-turn as report shares behind-scenes developments, find out more here.