Tottenham will love Palhinha history v Arsenal as announcement prepared
Tottenham are set to sign Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich in a shrewd transfer.
Palhinha left Fulham last year to join the German giants. However, he fell down the pecking order in Bavaria and hardly featured as Bayern won the Bundesliga.
As a result, Tottenham are now set to sign the 30-year-old on loan with an option to buy, giving them a potentially high-quality player on a low-risk deal.
The midfielder’s experience could make him a particularly useful signing, and Spurs fans will already be delighted, given Palhinha’s history with bitter rivals Arsenal.
Palhinha’s record v Arsenal
The Bayern midfielder is set to join on a loan with his full wages covered and an option to buy, and an announcement from Tottenham is expected on Saturday (2 August).
Palhinha was a key reason why Arsenal fell short in the Premier League title race over a year ago, much to the delight of Tottenham fans.
Arsenal finished two points behind Manchester City, and this came after they dropped five points against Fulham in their two matches against the Cottagers.
| Games | 3 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Yellow cards | 1 |
The Gunners gave up a 2-1 home lead against 10 men in August 2023, as Palhinha scored from a set-piece in injury time to equalise for Fulham.
The midfielder then put in a masterclass as Fulham beat Arsenal 2-1 in December, leading to further dropped points for Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal won just one of the three games Palhinha faced them in. Therefore, this bodes well for the North London derby clashes next season.
Palhinha can give Spurs derby steel
Spurs have failed to beat Arsenal in a competitive North London derby since 2022.
Thomas Frank will hope to correct this, and players like Palhinha are fundamental pieces in these fierce midfield battles.
Palhinha will arrive as one of the best ball-winners in Europe, and his tough-tackling style can give Spurs steel and grit in the highly charged games against their North London rivals.
Tottenham will decide whether to keep Palhinha permanently at the end of the season, but if he helps them win a derby, then the decision will become very easy to make.
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