Spurs maintain contact over signing £218k-p/w “machine”

After beginning 11 of his first 12 appearances within the Premier League this season, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Joao Palhinha has discovered sport time tougher to return by of late.

The Portugal worldwide’s begin in opposition to Brentford on Thursday night time was his first within the top-flight since November, as he had been an unused substitute as soon as and got here off the bench 3 times in December, per Transfermarkt.

Palhinha has scored 4 targets and offered three assists in all competitions, per Sofascore, however he has not discovered the again of the online because the 4-0 win over Copenhagen at first of November.

The Bayern Munich loanee’s common struggles in possession could also be why he has discovered himself out of the facet of late, as he ranks throughout the backside 23% of midfielders within the Premier League for progressive passes per 90 (3.24) and the underside 16% for progressive carries per 90 (0.53), per FBref.

Spurs eyeing transfer for Bundesliga star

Spurs at the moment are reportedly within the combine to signal one other central midfielder who may additional limit the sport time that Palhinha will get within the second half of the season.

Based on CaughtOffside, Bayern Munich midfield star Leon Goretzka’s representatives have reached out to make contact with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Arsenal.

The report claims that their sources have indicated that the German giants can be compelled to think about a sale within the January switch window if a convincing supply lands at their desk.

It provides that the Lilywhites are intently monitoring the Germany worldwide’s scenario on the Allianz Area, as they ponder a winter swoop for the skilled midfielder.

Nonetheless, CaughtOffside doesn’t reveal how a lot cash it might take for Bayern to think about a suggestion for the £218k-per-week star to be ‘convincing’ sufficient for them to half methods with him.

Why Tottenham’s Goretzka curiosity is dangerous information for Palhinha

It may very well be Déjà vu for Palhinha if Spurs handle to agree a deal to carry Goretzka to North London, as a result of he left Bayern on mortgage in the summertime after struggling for minutes behind the German big final time period.

The Portugal worldwide solely began six league matches for Bayern beneath Vincent Kompany within the 2024/25 marketing campaign, while Goretzka began 13 instances and performed 9 extra video games total, per Sofascore.

As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, the Germany worldwide justified his bigger position within the squad with superior performances in the course of the park within the Bundesliga final time period.

Goretzka, who has been described as a midfield “machine” by Bayern teammate Aleksandar Pavlović, is a extra well-rounded midfielder who is healthier suited to enjoying in a dominant staff that desires to compete on the high finish of the desk.

Palhinha supplies nice defensive qualities together with his means to make tackles and interceptions, rating within the high 1% of Premier League midfielders for tackles per 90 (5.27) this season, per FBref.

Midfielders in groups that need to compete on the very high want to have the ability to supply high quality in possession to go together with their defensive qualities, although, which can be why Kompany was keen to let him go, and why Thomas Frank has dropped him in current weeks.

The statistics within the chart above from Goretzka and Palhinha’s statistics this season present the numerous distinction in high quality in possession between the 2 gamers, because the German ranks extremely in a number of possession-based metrics.

This implies that, as was the case at Bayern within the 2024/25 marketing campaign, Goretzka’s presence within the squad may spell dangerous information for the previous Fulham star within the second half of this season.

The 30-year-old star may very well be a wonderful addition to Frank’s squad so as to add extra high quality on the ball to his choices in the course of the park, presumably leaving Palhinha’s future on the membership past his preliminary mortgage spell in critical doubt as a result of he may wrestle for sport time behind the German expertise.