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Tottenham Transfer Blow as Joao Palhinha Agrees Sporting CP Terms

Tottenham Hotspur’s summer planning has taken an early hit, with Joao Palhinha reportedly agreeing terms over a return to Sporting CP.

According to A Bola (via Give Me Sport), who were responsible for the original article, the Portugal international has reached an agreement with his former club, although Sporting still need to negotiate a deal with Bayern Munich. That remains the crucial part of the process, particularly as the Portuguese side are understood to prefer a loan move with an option to buy.

For Tottenham, the situation is awkward. Palhinha spent the season on loan from Bayern and Spurs retain an option to make the move permanent. Roberto De Zerbi had made clear that he wanted the midfielder to stay, having described him as ‘one of the best’.

Palhinha Agreement Leaves Spurs Exposed

This is not the sort of uncertainty Tottenham needed after such a difficult campaign. Spurs survived on the final day with a 1-0 win over Everton, a result that prevented an unthinkable drop and offered the club a chance to reset.

Palhinha played a significant role in that survival push. His goals against Wolves and Everton were not decorative moments, they were season defining contributions from a player brought in primarily to protect the back four.

Photo: IMAGO

He may not be the flashiest name on Tottenham’s recruitment list, but his value became increasingly obvious. He gave De Zerbi structure, aggression, experience and authority in midfield. Those qualities are not easily replaced.

Sporting CP Move Depends on Bayern

Sporting have done the personal terms part of the deal, but Bayern remain central to what happens next. The Bundesliga club will decide whether a loan with an option suits their own position, or whether they prefer a permanent sale.

That detail matters for Spurs. Until Bayern and Sporting reach an agreement, Tottenham still have a pathway to act. However, if Palhinha has already settled on the idea of returning to Portugal, Spurs face a more complicated task than simply triggering a clause or reopening talks.

De Zerbi Faces Midfield Dilemma

De Zerbi’s desire to keep Palhinha speaks volumes. The Tottenham manager inherited a fragile squad, then watched the midfielder grow into one of the more dependable figures during the run in.

Losing him would not simply remove a defensive midfielder from the squad. It would take away one of the few players who looked comfortable handling pressure when Tottenham’s season was at its most dangerous.

Spurs now need clarity. If Palhinha is leaving, the recruitment department must move quickly and decisively. Tottenham cannot afford another summer where key decisions drift, especially when the squad requires stability, leadership and a stronger spine.

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From a Tottenham perspective, this report is deeply frustrating. Palhinha was hardly signed with huge fanfare, but by the end of the season he looked like one of the few players who truly understood the situation. When Spurs needed fight, he gave them fight. When they needed composure, he offered it. When they needed someone to step forward, he scored vital goals.

That is why this feels like more than a normal transfer setback. Tottenham have spent too long letting useful players slip away while searching for something more exciting. Palhinha might not sell shirts or dominate highlight reels, but he brought responsibility to a side that often looked short of it.

If De Zerbi wants him, and if he proved himself during a relegation battle, why has the club allowed Sporting CP to get this far? Supporters can accept losing out on elite targets, but losing a player already in the building, already settled, already trusted by the manager, feels careless.

Spurs need a serious summer. Letting Palhinha walk would send the wrong message.

Even though the final feeling from the 2025/26 Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur was a moment of jubilation as a result of their survival of the relegation battle with a 1-0 win over Everton, the overall sentiment of the campaign was that of embarrassment. No team in European football was as disappointing as Spurs, who replicated their 17th placed finish in the Premier League after winning the Europa League in 2025.

Still, not all was bad for Spurs. The two blockbuster additions of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons proved to be real assets and bright sparks on an otherwise dismal team, showing that they have the potential to be world class attacking game changers that Spurs desperately need in this era with Son Heung-min and striker Harry Kane.

Yet even SImons and Kudus are catching strays from the mainstream. Recently, ESPN writer Bill Connelly named his worst signings of the 2025/26 Premier League season, and he will surely catch some flack from Tottenham supporters after ranking Kudus the fourth worst signing of the summer 2025 window while giving Simons a not so honorable mention on his list of five.

Mohammed Kudus is still underrated

Connelly wrote scathing commentary on Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons, "Take your pick between Kudus and Xavi Simons, really. Spurs acquired the duo for a combined 128.8 million, but Simons struggled with the league's physicality, Kudus could really only win 1v1s (like Doku with half the danger), and neither benefited from Tottenham's utter inability to pass the ball. They played just 3,302 minutes between them and managed four goals with 10 assists."

Tottenham Hotspur fans and probably many other Premier League analysts will not agree with Connelly's assertions. Kudus was averaging 2.7 dribbles completed and 1.2 key passes per game for Spurs as one of the most effective dribblers in the Premier League prior to his season ending injury, and five assists in 19 starts for one of the worst attacks in the league with no real goal scoring threat is actually quite impressive. Anyone watching Spurs last season could see how much Kudus was carrying the attack.

Simons was also very impressive when he did actually play, and if anyone can be criticized for Simons not initially making good on his price tag, then it would be Thomas Frank for playing such cowardly football - or not playing the Dutchman at all. It is wild to think that Simons and Kudus were among the worst signings in the league, especially when Jamie Gittens, who did less than zero for Chelsea last season, was ranked in a more favorable spot than Kudus.

Tottenham Hotspur are running amok in the free agent market, closing deals for two players we were linked with before Roberto De Zerbi saved our bacon.

The Italian worked a minor miracle to galvanise a broken squad down the stretch and secure enough points to guide us to safety. Now, he's preparing for a summer clear-out.

After signing a five-year contract and saving the club from the abyss, De Zerbi has immense power. There's not a single signing that won't have his approval, and he's likely to be heavily influential in the recruitment process himself.

Spurs need to fill multiple holes and deepen the quality at plenty of position groups. We're in for a hectic couple of months on either side of the World Cup, which will likely slow down transfer talk.

We're still two weeks away from the summer transfer window officially opening, yet De Zerbi's squad has already been bolstered. The signings of Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson will be made official when their respective contracts expire with Bournemouth and Liverpool. Many are pleased with the former but less convinced by the latter. Still, there are obvious perks to signing Robertson, even at this stage of his career.

Alan Shearer believes Robertson to Tottenham suits all parties

Spurs have convinced Robertson despite a late hijacking attempt from Juventus. The Scot could've joined his compatriots in Serie A by signing with one of Europe's most prestigious clubs, but has instead opted for De Zerbi's exciting north London project.

An incredible servant on Merseyside for almost a decade, Robertson was once the Premier League's leading left back. He no longer boasts that status, yet, as the competition's all-time record scorer alluded to when he weighed in on the impending move, Robertson still has much to offer.

"I think there's no doubt Robertson going to Spurs is a good move for both him and Tottenham. His experience, his know-how, he's still got great ability," Shearer said (via Chris Cowlin on X).

"I think pound for pound; he's probably one of the best signings in the Premier League we've seen."

Robertson joined Liverpool from Hull City for 8 million in 2017, and would go on to become a two-time Premier League champion and a Champions League winner with the Reds. He's a Premier League great, whose intangibles will be immensely valuable to a Spurs squad that lacked leadership and accountability for much of 2025/26.

The 31-year-old, of course with De Zerbi, too, will help raise the standards of a club that almost succumbed to an unfathomable fate.

Tottenham Hotspur has survived relegation from the Premier League, beating Everton 1-0 on Sunday.

The Spurs entered the day sitting 17th in the table and had two scenarios that could lead to relegation.

If Tottenham had lost to Everton and West Ham had beaten Leeds United, Tottenham would have been relegated. The other scenario involved Tottenham and Everton ending in a draw, and the Spurs would have then been relegated if West Ham beat Leeds United by 12 goals.

Instead, Tottenham avoided getting relegated for the first time in the Premier League era, which began in 1992.

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In fact, the last time the Spurs were not in the top English football league was in 1977. They went down to the second tier for only one season and then were promoted back.

Tottenham scored a first-half goal with João Palhinha sneaking a shot past Jordan Pickford that just barely crossed the goal line.

It was all the Spurs needed as they held on for the 1-0 victory.

West Ham United needed to win for Tottenham to have a chance of relegation, and they did so 3-0 over Leeds.

With Tottenham avoiding relegation, the three teams going down to the Championship after this season will be West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Spurs finish the 2025-2026 season with a 10-11-17 record over 38 games. Tottenham’s 10 wins are the fewest the team has had in a season since 1935.

That year, the Spurs ended 10-10-22 and were relegated to Division 2. It took Tottenham eight seasons to return to Division 1 in 1950.

The last match day of the 2025/26 Premier League has arrived, and arguably, the most important focus on this matchday is the relegation battle between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

West Ham will face Leeds United, and Tottenham will play Everton. Tottenham needs to avoid defeat to avoid relegation.

Spurs has a two-point advantage over West Ham United in the Premier League table. Spurs played against Everton earlier this season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last October.

Spurs won the match 3-0 away from home with two goals from Micky Van De Ven and a goal from Pape Sarr.

Spurs will look to bounce back from their 2-1 loss to Chelsea last Tuesday after a four-game unbeaten streak, which included two wins and two draws.

Everton is 12th in the Premier League table with 49 points and could reach up to 52 points, but it is very unlikely they will reach European football next season.

Where to Watch Tottenham vs Everton

Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton will kick off at 11 a.m. ET/ 8 a.m. PT in the United States. The match will kick off at 4 p.m. local time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.

All 10 Premier League games will be played at the same time, including the Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton match. The match will be available to watch in the United States and the UK through select TV channels and streaming services.

Telemundo (USA)

NBC (USA)

Peacock (USA)

NBC Sports 4K (USA)

Sky Sports Main Event (UK)

Sky Sports Premier League (UK)

Sky Sports+ (UK)

Sky Go (UK)

Tottenham Hotspur welcome Everton to North London, facing an incredibly tense Premier League season finale.

Roberto De Zerbi’s team are fighting to avoid the club’s first relegation since 1977. Spurs sit just two points clear of West Ham ahead of kickoff. They need one point to officially guarantee their survival due to a vastly superior goal difference. However, a defeat coupled with a West Ham victory against Leeds United would condemn them to the Championship. The hosts must overcome dreadful home form to secure safety. They have not won any of their last 10 home league matches.

Tottenham Hotspur team news

De Zerbi continues to battle a severe injury crisis ahead of the most important game of the season. Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, and Wilson Odobert are completely ruled out. Injured club captain Cristian Romero sparked controversy by travelling to Argentina rather than supporting his teammates today.

However, striker Dominic Solanke could return to the matchday squad after fully recovering from a hamstring injury. He will compete with Richarlison to lead the frontline against the Toffees. Richarlison scored his 11th Premier League goal of the campaign during Tuesday’s defeat to Chelsea. The Brazilian has incredibly registered five goal involvements in his last five league matches against his former club.

Tottenham Hotspur predicted lineup

Tottenham Hotspur predicted XI: Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Palhinha; Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison.

When will the match kick off?

The Premier League match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium kicks off at 16:00 BST on Sunday, 24 May 2026.

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton?

In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports+, with coverage starting at 3.45pm. Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Read more – ‘Nothing stopping us’ – Hull City pull off unlikely Premier League promotion

See Also- Premier League confirm transfer window dates ahead of summer

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Curtis Jones Transfer Talk Grows as Tottenham Monitor Liverpool Midfielder

Curtis Jones may be approaching a decisive summer in his Liverpool career, with Caught Offside reporting that Tottenham, Aston Villa and Inter Milan are all monitoring the midfielder’s situation.

The 25 year old has one year left on his contract, and with no real progress over fresh terms, Liverpool now face a familiar modern dilemma, sell while value remains, or risk losing a homegrown player for nothing next summer.

Liverpool Face Jones Decision

Caught Offside report that “The 25-year-old came close to joining Inter Milan back in January, and he remains on the Italian giants’ radar, though Spurs and Aston Villa are also keeping tabs on his situation.”

That sentence captures the growing uncertainty. Jones has been useful for Liverpool, technically secure, tactically disciplined and capable of stepping into big matches. Yet he has never quite locked down a regular starting place.

That matters. At a club with Liverpool’s ambitions, squad players must either push towards the first XI or become assets in a wider rebuild.

Photo: IMAGO

Spurs Interest Makes Sense

Tottenham’s interest is intriguing. Jones would offer Premier League experience, tactical intelligence and homegrown value. He can operate as an eight, help retain possession and add control in midfield areas where Spurs have too often lacked calm.

The report adds that Liverpool’s asking price is currently around €40m, which has become “problematic” for interested clubs.

That fee reflects both his ability and his academy status. From Liverpool’s perspective, selling Jones would count as ‘pure profit’ from a PSR perspective, making his departure financially useful even if emotionally difficult.

Inter Milan Still Watching

Inter Milan’s interest should not be dismissed. Italian clubs often value midfielders with intelligence, balance and patience in possession, and Jones has those qualities.

Yet the contract situation gives buyers leverage. With only one year remaining, clubs may wait and see whether Liverpool lower their valuation. The danger for Liverpool is obvious. Hold too firm now, and they may weaken their position later.

Jones is not a “misfit” in any lazy sense. He is a good footballer caught between squad importance and starting status. That is often where transfer decisions become cold.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Tottenham perspective, Jones would be a sensible signing if the price drops. Spurs need midfielders who can handle the ball under pressure and understand the rhythm of Premier League football. Jones would not arrive as a superstar, but he could become a very useful piece in the squad.

For Liverpool fans, this one would sting more than many outsiders realise. Jones came through the academy, understands the club and has produced important performances. Letting him go would feel like another reminder that football is now ruled by contract length, PSR calculations and squad planning.

Still, sentiment cannot drive recruitment. If Liverpool do not see him as a regular starter, and if no new deal is close, selling this summer makes sense. The key is price. €40m feels ambitious with one year left, but anything too low would undervalue a proven Premier League midfielder.

Tottenham should be interested, Inter will remain dangerous, and Aston Villa’s presence adds another layer. Jones has quality. Now he needs a club willing to give him a clearer role.

The entire 2025/26 Premier League season is on the line this Sunday for Tottenham Hotspur against Everton, as Spurs still need a point to ensure survival in the Premier League after they once again, lost 2-1 to rivals Chelsea on Tuesday night. With West Ham United, the only team they can beat out for safety this season, facing a Leeds United side with nothing to play for on Sunday, Spurs have to place fate entirely in their hands.

Although the players will deny it, Tottenham did seem to take a big step back against Chelsea, showing just how far they are behind the other Big Six Premier League sides in 2026. New manager Roberto De Zerbi has changed a lot at the club and given their core hope of survival, but he can't make the passes or finish the chances for the players themselves.

Tottenham fans feel that the club need veteran attacking midfielder and key leader James Madidson on the pitch as a starter in order to have their best chance of survival. Maddison is operating at a technical level well beyond that of his peers, and he is by far the best attacking player in the squad.

Tottenham need James Maddison

But per Roberto De Zerbi at the press conference before Tottenham Hotspur battle Everton on Matchday 38 of the 2025/26 Premier League season, it is still unclear just how many minutes Maddison can play.

De Zerbi told reporters, via Alasdair Gold of Football.London, "Maddison is available. It's always tough to decide before the game how many minutes he can play. Of course he's a different player, a top player for us, but we have to analyse the physical condition with this Italian weather."

Tottenham fans will not feel reassured that James Maddison can play more than about 30 minutes after hearing more comments from De Zerbi like this. De Zerbi has been pretty noncommital on Maddison's role, and whlie the player himself may be angling for more, Spurs are not going to risk anything long term with a player coming off an ACL tear who is vital to Spurs hopes in 2026/27 as well.

But Tottenham do need him. They need Maddison's creativity, bravery, intelligence, consistency, control, and eye for the spectacular. He is by far their best player right now, even in just the five or 25 minutes he has played in the last two matches against Leeds United and Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur fans are finding out which of their players are going to be in action at the 2026 World Cup in North America this summer, and with how poorly Spurs are playing in their worst ever season in history with relegation from the Premier League still very much a possibility on Matchday 38, it is no surprise to see that many key players, like striker Richarlison, have not been picked by their national team managers.

Similarly for the English national team, most of the Tottenham players are nowhere near contention for the squad selected by Thomas Tuchel this summer, but one player did make it to the summit, fullback Djed Spence.

Even Tottenham fans who like Spence as a player have to be surprised that he will be headed to the World Cup as a fullback in Tuchel's squad when the starting right back for Real Madrid and one of the best technical players and creators in the world won't be making it for the Three Lions in Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Trent Alexander-Arnold got snubbed badly

Say what you want about Trent, but he is a fabulous player who can produce gilt edged chances out of thin air, and he's been playing very well for an underperforming Real Madrid team these last several weeks. Tuchel clearly has an agenda against Trent and doesn't see him as a fit for whatever his tactical ideas are, but not having Trent at all as an option in the squad is a massive gamble.

It's also not like Djed Spence is a great direct competitor to Trent Alexander-Arnold on the grounds of quality. He's a very mediocre player who could be out of North London by this time next year once Brazilian prospect Souza hits the ground running at left back, which is where Spence mostly plays.

A decent squad player for the rotation, Spence is a depth guy on a Tottenham Hotspur team that is one of the worst teams in the Premier League, so Thomas Tuchel thinking that a Spurs backup is ripe for the England national team squad over, again, Real Madrid's starting right back is a very, very bold call indeed.

Since Spence is not a vital player for Tottenham, the risk of him getting injured in the England squad does not at all outweight the benefit of him getting to go to the World Cup with a team good enough to have reached the last European Championship Final. Spence is about to get a boost in profile and transfer value from this, so it's a pleasant surprise for Spurs.

When Tottenham Hotspur actually fell to 18th place last month, it felt like its destiny might arrive far sooner than we realized: West Ham was in a decent form, while Spurs had taken just one point in eight league contests, opening up a very real possibility of relegation being certain before the season even expired. Then, Tottenham went four straight matches unbeaten, with a chance to wrap up safety a week or two ahead of the finale.

Instead, we actually are here, the final day, with everything to play for. A significant gap in goal difference means Spurs are safe with any point, while only a Tottenham loss-West Ham win combination will cement the nightmare. The odds say that is unlikely, but the sinking feeling in every supporter’s heart speaks to how realistic that actually may be.

To repeat: Tottenham only needs a draw to make this all go away. North London has not been the most profitable locale, but the stadium will be there for its side when it matters most (at least to start…) Everton is winless in six and is playing for nothing but pride. To even be in this situation is still hard to process, but the escape route is sitting there, wide open.

Match Details

Date: Sunday, May 24

Time: 11:00 am ET, 4:00 pm UK

Tottenham vs. Everton

Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

TV: NBC (US), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)

West Ham United vs. Leeds United

Location: London Stadium, London

TV: USA Network (US), Sky Sports Football (UK)

The reverse fixture was one of Spurs’ best this season, with the visitors claiming a 3-0 win despite a relatively equal performance per xG. Somehow Micky van de Ven recorded a first-half brace, while Pape Sarr put away the capper late. That match was multiple managers ago, but it should be noted that Tottenham has beaten Everton in four straight home contests.

fin.

I am too emotionally spent to say anything meaningful about this match (and realllllly do not want to be previewing matches in the Championship next season). Everyone in the entire world can see that the Spurs attack is severely limited right now, but Roberto De Zerbi’s side just needs to find a way sneak a couple across the line. Playing for a draw seems unwise here, so there must be some urgency, especially with an anxious crowd.

Mentality is hard to quantify, but oh boy, I do not want to see how things look if Spurs are down with 20 minutes to go. Even a level scoreline would make the second half extremely dicey, as this squad has failed time and time again when the pressure is greatest. Go ahead early, though, and the Toffees may simply lack the motivation to mount any sort of comeback.

Perhaps the same could be said about Leeds, who also are playing for nothing at this point, though Tottenham knows exactly how tricky this opponent can be. Leeds have not lost in the league since early March and have just three losses over the past 16 contests. West Ham certainly could win this one, and trusting in someone else’s result is a dangerous game, but there is a small safety net here.

If Spurs do go down, however, it has nothing to do with West Ham or Leeds. This season has been unacceptable and unimaginable, and the club has no one to blame but itself. Yes, injuries and officiating and all sorts of factors played a part, but how Tottenham Hotspur Football Club sits 90 minutes away from relegation is beyond belief. From the very top all the way on down, enormous changes are needed. All of that can wait until Monday; survival is all that matters.