Levy ready to break eight-year long transfer trend at Tottenham after Palhinha news
Tottenham are keen on a move for Bayern Munich outcast Joao Palhinha.
Palhinha only joined Bayern from Fulham a year ago but has struggled for game time with the German champions, and could be ready to return to England.
Tottenham need to reinforce their midfield options, and Palhinha’s experience could be an ideal fit among an otherwise young squad.
The former Fulham star is now being targeted by Thomas Frank, in a move that would go against Daniel Levy’s recent transfer policy.
Palhinha to become rare senior signing at Tottenham
Tottenham’s interest in Palhinha is likely to mean Yves Bissouma departs, but even so, the midfielder is older than the other players Levy has targeted in recent years.
Younger talents such as Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall have been signed, and even the more experienced players, such as Dominic Solanke and Mohammed Kudus, have all arrived before their prime years.
At 30, Palhinha would be one of the oldest players to arrive at Spurs in the last decade, and this shows a shift in Levy’s transfer planning.
| Joao Palhinha at Bayern Munich | |
| Appearances | 25 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Honours | Bundesliga x1 |
The Telegraph (July 24) has now reported that Palhinha would be the first player over 30 to join Spurs for a transfer fee, since Fernando Llorente arrived from Swansea in 2017, eight years ago.
This is a surprising but welcome change for Spurs, and there will be plenty of upsides to the deal.
Palhinha is an instant impact signing for Tottenham
Tottenham’s policy over the years has seen them trade success for potential, as younger players with resale value have been signed under Levy to eventually be sold for profit.
Palhinha goes against this, as it is unlikely that Spurs will profit on an ageing player, regardless of how he performs.
The midfielder is being targeted as a proven player who can make an instant impact, while also helping the younger players in the squad, and will be a refreshing addition in this sense.
Frank was reportedly keen on Christian Norgaard, but Palhinha would arguably bring more quality as a top-level midfielder ready to instantly start.
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