Tottenham Hotspur have put out feelers in a bid to gauge whether it will be possible to negotiate a deal which would see Bayern Munich star Joao Palhinha become another big-name addition to head coach Thomas Frank's options at Hotspur Way, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Although Mohammed Kudus completed a £55million switch from West Ham United on Thursday, with the Ghanaian penning a six-year contract after also gaining interest from Chelsea and Newcastle United, Spurs are on course to announce another acquisition within the next 24 hours.
Nottingham Forest talisman Morgan Gibbs-White was due to undergo a medical on Friday before the deal was delayed, but Tottenham are not tempted to end their summer business there and are poised to remain in the market for further reinforcements as Frank continues making his mark.
North Londoners seeking clarity on defensive midfielder's availability
Tottenham have made contact to sign Palhinha, according to GMS sources, as Europa League glory resulted in the north Londoners turning their attention towards more ambitious targets after initially looking to land Real Betis' Johnny Cardoso or new Marseille man Angel Gomes when he was preparing to leave Lille at the end of his contract.
Although Bayern Munich forked out more than £47million in order to land the defensive-minded midfielder from Fulham 12 months ago, he has struggled to work his way into the forefront of boss Vincent Kompany's plans and that has resulted in Spurs sniffing an opportunity to pounce.
GMS sources have been informed that Tottenham want to learn more about Palhinha's situation, having seen him struggle to secure regular game time during the 2024/25 campaign, and they have refused to rule out lodging a bid if it becomes clear that he is on the market ahead of the September 1 transfer deadline.
The Nations League-winning Portugal international, described as 'world-class' by journalist Dom Smith, has been in the United States with Bayern Munich at the Club World Cup and will carefully assess whether he needs to embark on a fresh challenge over the course of the coming weeks.
Palhinha has worked his way into Tottenham's sights after Frank has been given the opportunity to define the exact type of player he wants to recruit, GMS sources have learned, and the north Londoners have indicated that they have not finished making a splash in the market as they prepare for a season which will include Champions League action.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Joao Palhinha was limited to just 686 minutes of Bundesliga action during the 2024/25 campaign
Palhinha Fits Bill Due to Top Flight Experience
Portugal international featured in Premier League for Fulham
GMS sources have been told that Tottenham are aiming to discover whether Palhinha is available as they are prioritising bringing in further fresh faces who already have Premier League experience, which played a part in the decision to swoop for Kudus and Gibbs-White from domestic counterparts.
But there is an awareness that the 30-year-old will have lofty wage demands as he is on a contract which allows him to pocket in the region of £200,000-per-week when bonuses are triggered, while Bayern Munich will hold out for a lucrative fee after spending big to recruit him from Fulham.
Tottenham have acknowledged that it will be difficult to land Crystal Palace fan favourite Adam Wharton even though he has been earmarked as a dream target, GMS sources understand, while links to Juventus' Douglas Luiz have been played down as Fabio Paratici has privately indicated that a move is not on the cards.
GMS sources recently revealed that Spurs have been holding discussions over recruiting Maxime Esteve after he played a crucial role in Burnley winning promotion to the top flight, highlighting that Frank is being heavily backed by chairman Daniel Levy in the transfer market after he was lured away from the Brentford dugout.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 11/07/2025