Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has privately expressed his wish for the club to strike one summer deal in particular, according to reports.
Spurs braced for club-defining last two Premier League games
Two games, six points available, and for Tottenham, quite possibly the most consequential fortnight in the club's modern history.
De Zerbi's side sit 17th in the Premier League on 38 points, just two above West Ham in 18th with two fixtures remaining.
Chelsea away next Tuesday and Everton at home on the final day represent Spurs' last chance to guarantee their top-flight status, and neither game can be taken lightly.
A defeat at Stamford Bridge combined with a West Ham victory over Newcastle on Sunday would drag things right down to the wire on the last afternoon.
The consequences of relegation would be catastrophic.
The financial impact alone — lost broadcast revenue, reduced commercial appeal, the probable exodus of the club's best players — would set Tottenham back years.
It is a scenario that was unthinkable at the start of the season and remains deeply uncomfortable even now.
De Zerbi has done a credible job since arriving on March 31.
Back-to-back wins at Wolves and Aston Villa pulled Spurs out of the bottom three and gave supporters genuine cause for belief.
However, the 1-1 draw with Leeds on Monday — a game Spurs led through a brilliant Mathys Tel goal before conceding a penalty through Tel's own recklessness — was a reminder of how thin the margins are at this end of the table.
Frantic minutes of stoppage time followed, with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky producing a stunning save to deny Sean Longstaff, but the damage was done.
Two points dropped that could prove decisive.
Amid all the tension of the relegation fight, one intriguing subplot is developing behind the scenes.
De Zerbi makes private Joao Palhinha transfer demand to Tottenham
According to TEAMtalk's Graeme Bailey, De Zerbi has made it clear internally that he wants Tottenham to sign Joao Palhinha on a permanent basis this summer.
The 30-year-old Portugal international arrived on loan from Bayern Munich at the start of the season with a pre-agreed £27m option to buy, and despite a campaign that has mirrored the club's broader inconsistency, the midfielder has re-established himself as an important figure under De Zerbi.
The Italian is said to be a huge admirer of Palhinha's tactical discipline, experience and leadership — qualities that have been in short supply in a Spurs dressing room that has lurched from crisis to crisis this season.
Tottenham's boss has publicly expressed his wish for the tough-tackling star to remain at N17 as well.
Palhinha himself is understood to be enjoying his return to London, having previously impressed in the Premier League during two seasons at Fulham before his move to Bayern in 2024.
However, TEAMtalk report that the deal is far from straightforward.
All three of Portugal's major clubs — Sporting CP, Benfica and Porto — are monitoring the situation closely and would welcome the chance to bring Palhinha home.
Sporting in particular view the 'sensational' ace as an ideal figure to add leadership and experience to their midfield, as well as reconnecting the club with one of their most respected academy graduates.
Bayern, meanwhile, have closed the door on any return to Munich, leaving Palhinha with a clear choice between staying in north London or heading back to his homeland.
If Spurs go down, that decision makes itself.
In the Championship, Palhinha would almost certainly walk — and the £27m option would become meaningless. Which is why the next two games matter more than any transfer negotiation ever could.