Tottenham Hotspur are keen on moving for Sporting Lisbon central midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer. [A Bola via Sport Witness].

The Lowdown: Spurs make positive start to life under Nuno Espirito Santo

Starting off 2021/22 with an opening day triumph over Premier League holders Manchester City, Nuno Espirito Santo will have been provided plenty of inspiration to Spurs fans that he is the man to rectify their sub-par league performance last term.

Making smart additions to the squad, the Portuguese boss has elected for quality over quantity, acquiring three bodies in the form of Pierluigi Gollini, Bryan Gil and Cristian Romero [Transfermarkt].

Could he now be set to bring in one of his fellow countrymen following recent reports?

The Latest: Tottenham are 'attentive' to Palhinha's situation at Sporting

As cited by Sport Witness, the Lilywhites are said to be ‘attentive’ to Palhinha’s situation in Lisbon this window [A Bola via Sport Witness].

He is said to have a release clause worth roughly €60 million (£51 million), however the Primeira Liga champions would be willing to accept a bid for his services in the region of €30 million (£25.5 million) to €40m (£34 million).

Should no suitable offer arise, Palhinha could be gifted a 25% pay increase to stay put in Lisbon for the time being.

The Verdict: Palhinha would be a very good signing for Tottenham Hotspur

While the midfield selected by Nuno against Manchester City performed admirably, the fact that 20 year-old Oliver Skipp was thrust straight into one of the toughest contests of the season suggests the new manager could use more depth in that area.

In 2020/21, the Lisbon-born anchor man Palhinha registered two goals in 38 appearances across all competitions [Transfermarkt], but he really shone with his all-round ability, earning nine man of the match awards for his exploits across the season [WhoScored].

With the window due to close in just two weeks’ time, Spurs should look to sign up the enforcer who was once labelled a ‘special player’ by his current manager Ruben Amorim [Record via Football Fancast].

In other news, Tottenham Hotspur are in advanced talks to sign a towering Serie A ace. Find out more here.