Tottenham form ‘very strong’ trio as another signing confirmed for Frank
Thomas Frank will be delighted by the latest arrival at Tottenham.
The Dane has made a promising start to life in North London, having not lost a single pre-season fixture as of yet.
From an exciting opener against Reading to a blockbuster showing against Arsenal, Frank has won over the majority of Spurs supporters.
However, concerns still exist over the new season, which Frank will hope to put to rest with his newest addition.
This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.
Joao Palhinha to form ‘strong’ partnership with centre-back duo
There have been question marks surrounding Joao Palhinha, who has joined Tottenham on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich.
These mostly stem from his age and ability to adapt to Spurs within a short space of time. However, Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that he will boost the squad’s defensive capabilities next season.
- 4 July 2022: Palhinha signs a five-year deal at Fulham
- 11 July 2024: Bayern sign Palhinha on a four-year deal
- 3 August 2025: Palhinha moves to Tottenham on a season-long loan
“We’re now going to have a proper leader in the team,” Wenham said.
“Somebody who starts for Portugal when fit. We can have him sit in front of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven; it will be one of the best defensive triangles you will find in the Premier League this season.
“It means that when we play a Chelsea, a Manchester City, an Arsenal or Liverpool away, Frank could drop in Rodrigo Bentancur and Palhinha in front of that defensive line. Not many goals are going in there, that’s very, very strong.”
Palhinha could be important for Tottenham
While his age is worrisome, with age comes experience, and Palhinha seems to have that in abundance.
He was electric at Fulham and was a bright spark in their midfield that few teams had answers to. With Yves Bissouma expected to leave Hotspur Way this summer, his expertise will be needed more than ever.
During pre-season, Tottenham have already shown glimpses of defensive coherency, which Frank strives to achieve. With Palhinha, the Dane could achieve an unprecedented level of defensive stability provided his best players remain fit.
The Portuguese midfielder is always willing to enter duels, protect his defensive line and play out from the back. This would offer van de Ven and Romero a little more freedom going forward, but would make Frank less reliant on them to bail his team out of difficult situations.
Therefore, it would not be surprising to see Palhinha become a permanent member of the squad after next season.
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