Tottenham have been linked with a move for a former Fulham fan favourite
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Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank is keen to sign plenty of reinforcements as he gets his team ready for the demands of competing in the UEFA Champions League.
Spurs’ Europa League final triumph over Manchester United papered over the cracks of what was a calamitous league season but still wasn’t enough to keep Ange Postecoglou in the dugout for a third term. Former Brentford boss Thomas Frank knows that he cannot afford to make the same catalogue of errors next season if he is to be a success in this managerial opportunity to shine in North London.
The Lillywhites are a team blessed with attacking qualities. Despite finishing in 17th position they scored 64 goals last term, more than any team in the bottom half by a considerable distance and even outsourcing the likes of Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, who only marginally missed out on a top five finish. However, their tally of conceding 65 goals was the fourth worst in the entire division, with only Wolves and the relegated trio of Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton shipping more goals.
Injuries were a huge factor in the team’s defensive frailties but an equally concerning patter that came far too apparent over the course of the season where Tottenham were simply way too easy to play through at various points throughout the campaign, highlighting the need for defensive midfield reinforcements if the club are to improve their fortunes.
The £30m midfield ‘animal’ Spurs should look to target
Thomas Frank will want to add a starting-calibre holding midfielder this summer as he looks to get his squad Champions League-ready.
They’ve splashed £60m already on West Ham maverick Mohamed Kudus on the right-wing and are expected to bolster the No.10 position with Morgan Gibbs-White once they get over the complications delaying the transfer from Nottingham Forest. However, there is still a desperate need for a defensive midfielder amid reports that Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur might leave the club.
In truth, neither player had what could be described as a strong season last time out. Bissouma played 44 matches, scored twice and was booked 12 times, making four errors leading to shots at goal and making a combined 67 tackles and interceptions in the league, which is nearly half of the 117 he managed the previous season.
Meanwhile, Bentacur season was disrupted through a seven-game suspension for allegedly making a racist comment toward his teammate Son Heung-min. He played 44 matches, scored twice and was booked on 14 occasions.
Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall were all used throughout the season and showed promise in patches. However, it’s clear if Bissouma or Bentancur were to leave they’d need to sign an experienced option in that area. One player that could perfectly fit the bill, who has been linked with the club, according to London World, is former Fulham ace Joao Palhinha.
Palhinha spent two seasons at the heart of the Fulham midfield between 2022 and 2024, establishing himself as one of the very best in his position in the Premier League. He made a £60m move to Bayern Munich in the summer window but has struggled to hit the same heights, making just 17 league appearances in a season blighted by injury woes.
The Portuguese international is understood to be available for around half the figure Bayern Munich paid this summer and is likely to be a huge upgrade on what they currently have in their squad.
Palhinha already has Harry Kane seal of approval
One man that knows Joao Palhinha better than many others is former Tottenham captain Harry Kane, who has played both against and alongside Palhinha at various points throughout his career.
When Palhinha completed his transfer to the Allianz Arena Kane notably said: "Pal is an animal in that defensive midfield role. I’ve had many battles against him. He tackles, he intercepts, he reads the game really well - so he’s a great addition."
To back up Kane’s comments, it’s worth noting that Palhinha completed the most tackles in both of his Premier League seasons. He made 148 in the 2022/23 season which was 48 more than Moises Caicedo, who completed a £110m move to Chelsea that summer. Meanwhile, in 2023/24 he bettered that tally with 152 with Joao Gomes getting the second most with 128, via Fbref.
Thomas Frank throughout his time at Brentford was known for playing attacking football and is likely to try and incorporate many of the aspects which were successful under Ange Postecoglou’s stewardship while also trying to add a sense of pragmatism in certain situations and protection for his defensive unit.
Palhinha could be the perfect signing to help them do that while also adding leadership for the likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr all to learn from in years to come.