Tottenham Hotspur is seeking to acquire midfielder João Palhinha (30), who is currently with Bayern Munich.

A British media outlet, GiveMeSport, reported on the 13th (Korea time) that "Tottenham has contacted Bayern to understand Palhinha's situation."

Under new head coach Thomas Frank, Tottenham is continuously strengthening its squad and views Palhinha as a key resource for reinforcing its midfield.

Tottenham recently acquired winger Mohammed Kudus from West Ham for a transfer fee of £55 million (approximately 102.3 billion won), with a contract duration of six years. Chelsea and Newcastle also showed interest in him, but he chose to join Tottenham.

Planning additional acquisitions, Tottenham is now interested in Palhinha, who has faced a challenging position at Bayern.

Born in 1995, Palhinha came from the youth team of Sporting CP. He debuted with Sporting's first team in 2015 but subsequently went on loan to various teams, consistently getting playtime at Braga and Belenenses. After returning from his loan spell, he established himself as a key player for Sporting. Notably, during the 2020-2021 season, he began to gain attention by leading Sporting to league victory. He played 32 matches that year, showcasing excellent defensive skills and aerial ability. His impressive performances drew interest from Premier League clubs, and he transferred to Fulham during the summer transfer window in 2022. In his first season at Fulham, Palhinha played 35 league matches and scored three goals, taking on an important role in the midfield. In the 2022-2023 season, he successfully completed 147 tackles in the league, ranking among the players with the most tackles. His defensive contributions helped Fulham finish the season in 10th place. In the summer of 2024, Palhinha transferred to the prestigious Bundesliga club Bayern Munich for a transfer fee of approximately £47 million (about 87.4 billion won).

However, he fell behind in the competition for a starting spot under head coach Vincent Kompany, receiving limited playing time. During the season, a personal scandal involving an affair with a club official was also revealed.

Currently, Palhinha is in the United States with Bayern to participate in the Club World Cup.

Tottenham is prioritizing players with Premier League experience. Palhinha has already met this criterion from his time at Fulham.

A downside is his high weekly salary. Palhinha is reported to receive around £200,000 (approximately 370 million won) per week, including bonuses. Additionally, Bayern is unlikely to let him go for a low transfer fee.

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