Tottenham have seriously kicked into gear when it comes to their transfer plans for the rest of the summer, with talks accelerating in dramatic fashion over the last 24 hours.
Spurs head coach Thomas Frank and chairman Daniel Levy wasted an entire fortnight pursuing a deal for Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, which eventually went nowhere after the England international surprisingly agreed a new contract instead.
Gibbs-White was booked in for a Hotspur Way medical this time three weeks ago (BBC), but Forest's unprecedented threat of legal action for an 'unlawful' approach blocked any transfer south for the England international.
Tottenham are still in the market for a number 10, though, while it is also believed that they could add another full-back to Frank's squad before deadline day on September 1 (Sky Sports).
However, before Spurs move on to bolster any of those positions, Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha will be next through the door.
The former Fulham star is set to join Tottenham on loan following a round of quick-fire talks on Thursday, with Levy swiftly reaching an agreement to sign the Portugal international on loan, including an option to buy for around £26 million.
Palhinha, following a disappointing debut season at Bayern, is set to make a return to London and the Premier League - ending Spurs' search for a new number six whilst surely plunging Yves Bissouma's future into doubt.
Interestingly, while this transfer was concluded very quickly after initial talks with Palhinha's camp last week, the former Sporting Lisbon star wasn't always completely sold on a move back to the UK.
Joao Palhinha's U-turn over joining Tottenham revealed
According to Bundesliga insider, Christian Falk, Palhinha initially wasn't convinced about joining Tottenham.
However, the £166,000-per-week midfield "sensation", famed for his robustness and tackling, changed his mind once Spurs' talks heated up.
“It’s true: Bayern and Tottenham have agreed on a loan deal for João Palhinha,” Falk told CF Bayern Insider.
“On Thursday, it was said that Palhinha was not completely convinced by the move. The player was previously committed to showing that he was good enough for FC Bayern.
“But talks with Tottenham got hot; the interest from the Londoners is interesting for him, which is why there was movement in negotiations. As Fabrizio Romano has confirmed, the loan deal includes a buy option of €30m [£25.9m] (which is not an obligation).”
Despite failing to justify his price tag at Bayern, Palhinha is a proven Premier League player, with his experience potentially very useful for Frank ahead of a vital first season in charge.
"Neither Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr nor Rodrigo Bentancur are as ruthless at winning the ball back as Palhinha, who also ranked among the top 10 for interceptions during his previous Premier League campaign," said Sky journalist Peter Smith.
"Palhinha's belated move to Bayern Munich didn't prove to be worth the wait, with an injury disruptive and head coach Vincent Kompany ultimately leaving him on the fringes. But a return to London looks like a smart switch for the Portuguese and Spurs - and a daunting one for opposition midfielders."