Fulham are ‘very close’ to beating Premier League rivals Wolves to the signing of Joao Palhinha after making an £18 million bid for Sporting Lisbon’s Portugal international, as reported by A Bola.
Back in 2018/19, as Fulham sank like a stone and plummeted straight back into the Championship, they conceded more goals than anyone else in the division. 81, for the record.
With Marco Silva and co determined to avoid a repeat of those old mistakes, a diligent defensive midfielder has emerged as one of the club’s top priorities ahead of August’s daunting top-flight opener against Liverpool at Craven Cottage. One capable of protecting the defence with a sheet of Valyrian steel.
Fulham have held talks with Braga’s Al-Musrati. They like Real Betis colossus William Carvalho too. According to A Bola, however, one of the finest ‘number sixes’ in all of Europe could now be on his way to West London instead, and do not downplay just what a coup this is.
Fulham set to beat Wolves to Joao Palhinha
Palhinha, after all, was a major reason why Sporting Lisbon secured their first Primeira Liga title in two decades back in 2021. He’s an established part of the Portuguese national team too. And, before Fulham slammed their foot onto the accelerator and nipped in ahead of a whole host of top-flight rivals, Palhinha seemed destined to be on his way to Molineux instead.
According to The Sun, Wolves ‘agreed’ personal terms with Palhinha earlier in June. Head coach Bruno Lage is reportedly a ‘huge admirer’. He sees the 6ft 4ins ball-winner as the ideal candidate to take Ruben Neves’ place in the heart of his midfield.
“Palhinha is an excellent player,” Neves said of his compatriot recently. “That’s why he is called up to the national team as well.”
Why Wolves have stalled, allowing Fulham to overtake them at the final corner, is anyone’s guess. This most unwelcome of developments certainly won’t be well received in the Black Country. A growing throng of supporters continue to express their dissatisfaction at the club’s Chinese owners for what they perceive to be a lack of ambition in recent transfer windows.
A Bola claim that Fulham are offering £18 million for Palhinha. A fee Sporting are likely to deem acceptable. The Cottagers are reportedly ‘very close’ to sealing the deal too. And the arrival of a sky-scraping mountain of a midfielder should provide a major boost to their survival prospects.
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