Credit: Imago

Mark Smith

Tue 2 June 2026 12:30, UK

Tottenham Hotspur need to forget everything about last season, as they look to redeem themselves in the Premier League.

Roberto De Zerbi is the perfect man, and he has already made it clear who he wants to build around at Hotspur Way from next season.

Joao Palhinha fits perfectly into that category.

But there were serious doubts about the Bayern Munich man signing permanently after his clause expired soon after the end of the season.

Now, Tottenham are pushing ahead with their transfer plans, and Palhinha is at the heart of them.

Tottenham get back to work on Joao Palhinha transfer

Tottenham had a clause to sign Palhinha permanently, but it expired on 1 June.

That led to fans of the Lilywhites believing that their chances were over to sign the holding midfielder who scored so many important goals to help them survive.

The Sun has now reported that Spurs are still working on a deal to sign Palhinha.

It is said that De Zerbi and Tottenham are now considering a fresh move, after deciding against paying just short of the £26million in his loan contract.

Maybe that means they believe they could sign the midfielder for cheaper.

Who could leave Tottenham?

Of course, a lot is being made about who Spurs could sign, but it’s about time the other side of the equation is looked at, with too much dead wood in the squad.

Rodrigo Bentancur fits into that category from midfield, and those in the final third are simply nowhere near good enough to consistently perform.

Palhinha wore his heart on his sleeve and is worthy of a permanent move, but he is the wrong side of 30, and it won’t last forever.

Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall are the future of his club, and it’s about time they are given that chance consistently in the heart of midfield.

Palhinha and Conor Gallagher can be perfect role models, but it’s about time that Tottenham and De Zerbi start to leave certain figures in the past and move on.