At a glance:
- Joao Palhinha has been decent for Tottenham
- Roberto De Zerbi wants to sign him permanently
- Spurs must avoid this mistake
Tottenham Hotspur are nearing the end of the season and must prepare well for a crucial summer transfer window.
Having finished in the bottom five for the last two seasons in the Premier League, they need a major overhaul of the squad. Some players are expected to leave, and hence, Spurs will need their replacements.
However, the north London side also need to make big decisions on some other players, including their loan players. Joao Palhinha is one such player who is on loan from Bayern Munich.
Joao Palhinha could prevent Tottenham’s midfield rebuild
Roberto De Zerbi said he wants Tottenham to sign Palhinha permanently this summer, describing him as a ‘reliable’ player.
However, it could potentially also be just a confidence-boosting statement, with three crucial games remaining in the relegation battle.
Regardless, signing the Portuguese midfielder permanently could be a big mistake for Spurs. They need a major rebuild across the pitch, but especially in the midfield.
They need a couple of good technicians who can pass well and dictate games in possession. Palhinha is far from that profile.
Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are expected to leave this summer. However, Tottenham still have the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall, along with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.
Hence, signing Palhinha could just block potential signings due to the sheer number of midfielders at the club.
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Moreover, Palhinha was exceptional in Spurs’ 2-1 win at Aston Villa last week. However, can one expect him to produce a similar level of performance consistently for 40 games per season?
Tottenham need to aim higher
Palhinha has been decent for Tottenham. He has scored some crucial goals, including the winner against Wolves on April 25.
He has also reached 100 tackles in the Premier League this season, sitting only behind James Garner (113).
It’s also true that a squad could do with a destroyer profile like his. However, it only matters when the squad has other midfielders who can run a game in every phase.
Spurs don’t have that profile of a midfielder right now, except Bentancur, who has also been inconsistent.
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The buy option in Palhinha’s contract is £25 million, and Tottenham are expected to re-negotiate it with Bayern Munich.
However, they could utilise that money in signing better midfielders or strengthening other areas of the pitch. They should thank Palhinha for his crucial contributions this season, but certainly aim for better profiles this summer.
